Book sales will help keep music charity on song

A businessman has opened a second-hand bookshop in Newark to raise money for a music charity.

Mr Andrew James, chairman of Music For Everyone, runs Bookwise on Church Street, Newark.

Music For Everyone supports youth and adult performing groups, courses and workshops for singers and instrumentalists.

Mr James, of East Bridgford, a director of Northgate Business Centre, came up with the idea of opening a bookshop to support his charity while visiting one on holiday in Scotland.

He said it may take a couple of months for the shop to establish itself as it was set up at a busy time of year.

He was pleased with the location — within 50 yards of the Market Place.

He wants to build a large volunteer force so the shop can be staffed six days a week like his stores in Nottingham and Southwell.

Bookwise started out in a small unit on King Street, Southwell, nearly five years ago before moving round the corner to a larger unit on Queen Street.

He set up his second store in Nottingham about a year ago and said the store there was near a college and attracted a lot of students.

Speaking about the Newark shop, he said: “In a year’s time I see it still here, doing a lot better and making a financial contribution to its parent charity.”

He said if the store did well he would look to open more.

Music For Everyone, which is based in Nottingham, has been running for 30 years and has grown from a single choir to 14 performing groups.

Anyone who would like to volunteer in the Newark shop should call in or contact Mr James on 01636 642800.