A GIFT shop and gallery, set up by a collective of social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations, has been given a lifeline to trade over the Christmas period.

We Are Your Emporium, in Micklegate, was set up in April as a pop-up shop to create opportunities for people with learning difficulties.

The shop and gallery is manned by, and sells goods made by people with disabilities.

It originally secured a lease until the end of September, which was then extended by landlord York Conservation Trust for three months, but the shop feared its rates bill would mean it still had to close.

But now volunteers who work in the shop are celebrating a lifeline from City of York Council, which has waived the rates, enabling the shop to remain open to sell gifts during the run-up to Christmas.

Angela Taylor, the manager, said: “It means there’s a little longer for people to be able to gain valuable work experience and earn extra income for the groups.

“We really wanted to get the Christmas period because of the fact that people are out on the high street buying gifts and they’re the sort of people the shop is targeted towards.

The first term of the shop involved 11 organisations. The second phase is now being continued by four organisations who had resources to devote to another three months. They are the Blueberry Academy, Brunswick Organic Nursery, the Disabled Workers Union and the Healing Clinic.

The shop is also looking to stock more hand-made products from local suppliers to increase its range. Local crafters will be able to sell their wares at individual display bays in the emporium’s gallery space for two weeks from October 19.

Artists will also be able to submit art to show in an open exhibition from December 7 to 22.

For more information, contact Paul Jones at weareyourgallery@gmail.com