IT isn’t often that a business has the chance to celebrate 50 years of trading but Wrights’ the Jewellers at The Quadrant, Marshalswick, is about to do just that and in style.

As part of its celebrations it has also come up with two great ideas to raise much-needed funds for its local hospice, Iain Rennie Grove House Hospice Care. Next Thursday, September 1, Wrights’ is offering everyone a chance to find out what up to three items of jewellery are worth with a free verbal valuation on condition that a donation is put in the collection box for Grove House.

Another fundraising idea has already taken off with many customers having a guess as to how many batteries, of all shapes and sizes, there are in a large jar in the shop.

For every guess made a donation of �1 is asked for Grove House. When the final number of batteries is revealed on September 17, the winner with the exact, or nearest, guess, will receive a first prize of a �50 gift voucher. Second prize will be a silver pendant and the third prize is a travel alarm clock.

Between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, September 17, the 50th anniversary celebrations will continue. All customers will be offered Buck’s Fizz, cakes and chocolates. Majorettes will be performing outside the shop in the morning and in the afternoon the Fleetville Swing Band will be playing for a couple of hours, under cover if it is raining.

Said Edward Wright, founder of the company who still works in the shop even though he officially retired many years ago: “We could not let the anniversary of our 50th year go by without sharing our celebrations with the local community while at the same time raising funds for a local charity we know well.

“I started the business at the Quadrant in 1961 and over the years we have had so many regular customers that we hope will be able to pop in and celebrate with us on September 17. We will have many offers and competitions with great prizes available on the day. The idea for the guess the number of batteries came about because Grove House is somewhere that we have always supported and we are well aware of the wonderful service it provides to the local community.”

Liz Hizli, community fundraiser at Grove House, commented: “We are grateful to Wrights’ the Jewellers for their tremendous support to Grove House, not just in this their 50th year. We hope they have a great party on September 17 and wish them well for their next 50 years.”