MINEHEAD'S first charity shop is facing closure just weeks before celebrating its 30th anniversary and three decades of fundraising.

The Save the Children outlet introduced the now common concept of charity shops to the town when it took over a room at the Church Institute in Bancks Street 29 years ago.

Over the years, the totally volunteer-run enterprise has raised more than £79,000, largely from the sale of donated second-hand goods, which has gone to help the charity's work in Britain and across the world.

But now its 'home' is about to be sold and the 30-strong mainly elderly contingent of helpers has decided that the running costs of taking on alternative town centre premises would be too high.

Their only hope to prevent the door closing permanently on the popular and well-used enterprise is finding someone willing to offer a shop on a temporary basis, even just for a few months a year.

Minehead Save the Children branch chairman Stevie Jenkins said the rent for the existing shop had been "nominal" for which the charity was very grateful.

"We have had such a good relationship with the church and we quite understand that the premises have to be sold," said Mrs Jenkins.

"We had an emergency meeting of all our members just over a week ago, and everyone agreed that we can't afford the rent of a high street shop.

"At the moment we are able to send 80 per cent of what we raise to our headquarters, but we have done the figures and if we were paying anything more than a very low rent, we would only be able to send about 20 per cent."

Mrs Jenkins said the shop's ethos was to pass on as much money as possible and the volunteers did not feel comfortable working "just to pay the rent".

The shop currently opens five days a week, all year round, and even the manager is a volunteer.

Many of the helpers have been serving in the shop, which has a reputation for keeping its prices low and affordable, since it opened.

"We are hoping someone might be able to loan us some premises somewhere in the town so that can keep going, even with reduced hours," said Mrs Jenkins.

"We may be slightly off the beaten track where we are at the moment but even holidaymakers manage to find us - the shop has such a good reputation."

The charity's Minehead branch, which has been running since 1973, will remain active and will continue to put on many events every year.

The shop will close in its current premises on December 11 and Christmas cards and diaries will be available until then.

"We would like to thank all our customers who have supported us during our time in Bancks Street and for all the donations of clothes, books and bric-a-brac," said Mrs Jenkins.

Anyone who can help the charity with its accommodation crisis can contact Mrs Jenkins on 01643 705459.