First and foremost, the Gift Shop provides a vital service for patients, staff and visitors, and stocks essential items that may be needed during a hospital stay.

A wide variety of personal care products, candy, ice cream bars, newspapers, magazines, greeting cards, as well as unique gifts and fashion jewellery are offered for sale.

The store usually services between 250 to 300 customers per day, which makes it a very busy place and is testament to its popularity.   Much effort has been made to make it not seem like a “thrift store”, by having individual departments with a “manager” responsible for the presentation and pricing of items, and placing an emphasis on displaying only quality merchandise.

Today there are about 25 talented crafters who work mainly at home, but meet weekly at a room in the hospital to share their work and pick up supplies.

The group produces items for sale, which are offered at a special Craft Sales event held twice a year (April and November) in the lobby of NRGH.