08  September  2006  

NEWS  RELEASE  

ALL  DOLLED  UP  AS  SUE  RYDER  CARE ’S  HICKLETON  COLLECTORS ’ 
CLUB  CELEBRATES  FIRST  BIRTHDAY  IN  STYLE  

Thousands of dolls’ house enthusiasts across the UK will raise a miniature glass this month as Sue Ryder Care’s Hickleton Collectors’ Club celebrates its first birthday.

The popular club has gone from strength to strength since it was founded 12 months ago to reward loyal customers of the charity’s dolls’ houses and accessories. The club now counts more than 4,000 keen collectors as members - and is believed to be the largest in the UK.

Dozens of dolls’ house fans have been brought together nationwide in a number of thriving local groups, where people can swap tips, show off their handiwork and discuss their increasingly popular hobby.

The club has also helped to explode the myth that doll’s houses are the preserve of the nursery. The majority of its members are women over 40 - and the number of men signing up is on the increase.

More than 170 of the charity’s 400 shops - which raise funds for the charity’s hospice, neurological and community-based services - have now been designated as special Hickleton Centres, which sell exclusive items and enjoy priority ordering.

The Hickleton Centres will host tea parties in-store to celebrate the milestone, on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 September. All existing members have been invited and the stores will be suitably decked in bunting and balloons.

Paul Maskew, Head of Retail Development, said: “We are delighted with the success of the Hickleton Collectors’ Club. As well as bringing collectors together, the club has helped to raise awareness about the vital care services the charity provides for people living with conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disease, Acquired Brain Injury and Cancer.”

By becoming a Hickleton Collectors’ Club member, which costs £4.99 a year, people will receive a newsletter four times a year, special discounts, a first look at goods not available in store, advance notice of new products and the ability to beat the queues at the tills by pre-ordering. There is a special incentive for new recruits to coincide with the birthday celebrations; a choice of free gift. This includes a wall light which can be used in the interior or exterior of dolls’ houses, a house-wares set, as well as three cute kittens to complete the ‘home’. Existing members will also receive the gift if they renew their subscription.   

People can sign up to the club by filling in a form at any Sue Ryder Care shop or by post by sending a cheque for £4.99, payable to Sue Ryder Care Direct Ltd, to Hickleton Collectors Club, Sue Ryder Care Direct Ltd, Unit B, West March, Daventry, NN11 4SA.

For further information people can visit the club’s new website www.hickletoncollectors.co.uk or log onto www.suerydercare.org.