Having a spring clean? Age UK Barnstaple store urgently needs your help

The Age UK shop in Barnstaple has issued an urgent appeal for donations of good quality clothing, books, games and household items.

Anyone currently having an annual spring clean is being asked to consider the shop on the Sainsbury’s site at Roundswell and donate any unwanted items to be sold on so someone else can love them again.

It is a great way of recycling goods and reducing waste, with donations to the charity’s shops nationwide since January preventing 492,552 kilos going into landfill and saved 4,602,499 kilos of CO2.

Cathy King, manager at the Age UK Barnstaple shop said: “It takes a community to keep our Age UK shops raising much-needed funds to support older people and we simply couldn’t provide all that we do without supporters like you.

“But every bag of donations matters. We’re always looking for donations of seasonal, good quality, clean clothing and accessories, paperback books, jigsaws and games. Our ‘new mum’ section is also doing well so any preloved maternity wear would be amazing! If your wardrobe’s crying out for a declutter, make it a win-win by donating what you no longer need to help a great cause.

“Not only will you be helping to reduce waste and landfill, but you’ll be helping raise vital funds for Age UK so that it can continue supporting older people. By giving your 'stuff', you really can help us change lives.”

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When making donations, the charity is urging people to boost their value by 25% by signing up to Gift Aid, which simply means completing a short form when dropping off donations to staff. It does not put people under any obligation and is available to all UK tax payers, including pensioners.

Age UK is currently running its ‘crisis hiding in plain sight’ campaign, highlighting loneliness, the cost of living and declining health issues that millions of older people face behind closed doors.

Money raised from Age UK’s charity shops goes towards supporting the charity’s vital services, including the Telephone Friendship Service, free and confidential Advice Line and The Silver Line Helpline – services that older people rely on not just in winter, but throughout the year.

Donations for the Age UK Barnstaple store can be dropped off at its premises by Sainsbury’s in Roundswell. It is open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

To find out more about Age UK’s Crisis hiding in plain sight campaign and other ways to donate visit: www.ageuk.org.uk/appeal

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