THE Heywood Op Shop has been run by Heywood Uniting Church for the past 30 years, but that may be about to change.

Heywood Uniting Church are seeking expressions of interest from another church or charity organisation to take over the building and continue running it as an op shop for the community.

The op shop is completely run and managed by volunteers who are members of the church and extended community, but the church congregation “has become older” and they haven’t got enough people to continue.

Heywood/Bolwarra Uniting Church Council secretary Sue Reiffel said they would still love to have an op shop in Heywood, as it’s a place for locals to pop in and say hello, as well as purchase low-priced items.

“We would like Heywood to still have an op shop so locals still have accessibility to quality furniture and clothing,” she said.

“We have clothes that go to the homeless, we have collections that sell for rags, it's just a good resource for the town.

“We would still own the building and the new group would be able to rent it from us and run it so we wouldn't have any say where the profit goes. The people who are running it will access the profits.

“I think if it's something for Heywood, Heywood people should run it. Gives it that real sense of community and all the current volunteers are from Heywood and some from Bolwarra, and not necessarily church people.”

The op shop has a regular flow of donations from locals, and prices most items below $3.

Heywood Op Shop manager Chris Marchant, who has worked in the fashion industry, enjoys pairing items for the window display, organising new donated items and greeting the regulars every week.

Ms Merchant said she will no longer be manager once the shop is taken over.

“My heart is with the community, and I think the op shop is very important to Heywood, and I would be upset if it didn't stay as an op shop,” she said.

“Whether I’m manager or not, it’s about the community, not me.”

If any local group has an interest in renting the shop, they can contact Heywood Uniting Churches David Alexander at 0417 301 819 or Ms Reiffel at 0411 051 367.