Thrift store plans at Greenisland church

Bobby Devine, Dessie Burns and Tony Jones pictured at their African Child Ministeries stall which is held every Saturday in the Church of Ireland car park in Greenisland (file photo).

The African Child Ministries store will be housed in an extension of the existing church halls.

The Christian business sells discounted branded groceries in order to raise money to support child projects in Africa, while also helping to combat the rising problem of food poverty in the local community.

The charity currently runs under the banner of the church a weekly Saturday stall, which will be replaced by the new shop.

Church secretary, Councillor Lynn McClurg, indicated the store would be well placed to serve the people of Greenisland. “African Child Ministries operates a stall on a Saturday morning so the new building is to provide somewhere more permanent, with access to a small kitchen and toilets,” she said.

African Child Ministries supports two orphanages in the Democratic Republic of Congo through its current shop on West Street, which will be replaced by the new store.The charity’s website notes: “Many of the children who benefit from the organisation have lost their parents and are now orphans.

“There are high rates of HIV/AIDS among the children and widows, while many of them do not have a proper education or employment.

“African Children Ministries and Family Services trains and organizes conflict resolution seminars and facilitates family reconciliations. Children are provided with field activities, field trips, and sports. Health education is also provided to local communities and primarily focuses on HIV/AIDS.In addition, re-entry classes are organized for children to prepare them for school.”