EMPOWER’s first pop-up shop event at The Core in Devizes Road kicked off with a bang over the weekend and raised more than £520 for the local charity which helps to support a number of projects in the Gambia.

The money raised during the weekend will cover the majority of the £568 cost of the shipment of 44 crates of resources for Gambian projects.

TThe resources will then be taken to the schools, medical centres and communities Empower works with.

Jo Heaven, the founder of Empower, said: “A massive thank you to the traders and particularly The Core and especially everyone who volunteered and made this happen.”

The next pop-up shop event at The Core is due to take place on September 6 and September 7.

Empower will also have a stall at Swindon Pride on Saturday, at the Central Community Craft Fair on August 30 and at the Old Town Yard Sale on August 31.