A new shop combining nearly new items and work by local crafts people has opened in Loddon in support of the MS Therapy Centre at Chedgrave.

The Emporium, split into two shops, will be selling original paintings, handmade cards, jewellery, crafts, collectables and gifts on one side, while on the other there will be nearly new clothes, shoes, bric-a-brac and books, with 25 per cent of sales from the nearly new section being donated to the MS Centre.

The shop, located in the High Street, is being run by a small team of volunteers led by Cherry Trigwell, who previously worked at the Loddon Nearly New charity shop before it folded.

She said: 'We wanted to create a place where local crafts people could display and sell there work because there is an amazing number of artists and crafts people in Loddon and Chedgrave, as well as continuing the nearly new shop.

'We did a trial run for six months last year and quite a few people came and did there entire Christmas shopping under one roof. We closed in January but said when something suitable came up we would open up again.

'We really wanted to keep the shop going and found the two shops married well together. It will also provide somewhere for holiday makers to buy their gifts when they visit the town.'

The therapy centre, which became a charity in 1986 when it moved to the present site in Chedgrave, does not charge patients for treatment and relies on donations and fundraisers by its committee.

The centre provides Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy through a pressure chamber which aims to increase the oxygen intake by up to seven times. The treatment can benefit patients suffering from a stroke, cancer, MS or ME, leg ulcers, Parkinsons and people due to have an operation.

Mrs Trigwell said: 'We wanted to support a local charity which helps people with lots of conditions not just MS.

'They don't get any Government funding so if we can give them a regular donation each month that will help someone having treatment there.'

The shop, which launched on Monday, will be open from 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday excluding Wednesdays when it closes at 1.30pm, and from 9.30am to 3pm on Saturdays.

Anyone who would like to donate second hand items can drop them into the shop.