Here’s when our local charity shops are reopening and accepting donations

After three months of closures, local charity shops are taking measures to safely reopen: here’s when our local stores are reopening.

Many will have implemented increased cleaning measures, whilst it is expected that the number of customers allowed inside will be limited to maintain the two-metre distance. Changing rooms are likely to remain closed in line with government guidance and opening hours may vary from those of pre-lockdown

Please be patient, as many people will have decluttered their homes over the lockdown period and shops are likely to be busy. Please help by following social distancing safety measures, and any instructions from staff.

Please do not leave donations outside closed shops; this is fly-tipping and can cause the charity to incur extra costs to remove it.

Don’t forget, if you’re interested in buying rather than donating, many charity shops offer online purchases, so you can still help raise vital funds for these much-needed causes.

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British Heart Foundation

Shops and stores will be reopening from mid-June and throughout July and August with measures in place to ensure the safety of volunteers and customers. It is not yet known what date the Middleton and Rochdale stores will be reopening.

The national charity has launched a free postal donation service, where you can safely donate smaller items such as clothes, records, toys and ornaments, making it easier to give any decluttered items that you may have collected while at home.

You can post your donations for free by downloading a postage label online and dropping it off at your local Collect+ store. To download your label and find your nearest Collect+ store, visit:

• www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/post-your-donations

You can also shop with the BHF via its online and eBay shops at:

• giftshop.bhf.org.uk/
• www.ebaystores.co.uk/British-Heart-Foundation-Shop

 

 

Springhill Hospice

In line with Government guidelines, Springhill Hospice will open its Emporium Shop on 29 June. The hospice aims to open its other charity shops gradually after this date, and has implemented a number of ranges.

Shop staff and volunteers have access to gloves, face coverings, disposable aprons, hand sanitiser (in addition to hand washing facilities) and facial tissues, perspex counter guards installed at tills and a hand sanitiser station will be available for all customers in shops.

Ahead of reaching the shop floor, all stock is quarantined for 72 hours. Following the 72 hours quarantine period, all clothes are steamed and items with hard surfaces cleaned with suitable cleaning material before they reach the shop floor. Card machines will accept contactless transactions which includes the new, higher limit of £45 for contactless card payments.

Please do bring any donations you have to shops as and when they reopen.

• springhill.org.uk/list-of-local-shops

eBay shop: charity.ebay.co.uk/charity/Springhill-Hospice-(ROCHDALE)/137604

 

Cancer Research UK

All of Cancer Research’s 600 shops in England will reopen from Monday 29 June.

All shops will have hand sanitiser stations in the doorway, cough guards at till points, as well as social distancing measures.

Staff and volunteers will have face coverings, gloves, hand sanitisers, handwashing guidance, specially selected cleaning products and a much busier cleaning rota.

Once open, Cancer Research UK will be accepting donations as usual, but please don’t leave donations outside closed shops. Donated items will be isolated for 72 hours and cleaned before going on sale.

Online stores and marketplaces are open for you to continue shopping:

• shop.cancerresearchuk.org
• www.ebay.co.uk/str/ukcancerresearch

 

Barnardo’s

Currently, only the store at Cutgate Shopping Precinct is open (as of Monday 15 June), and the store in Heywood remains closed. Stores may close for cleaning and may have restricted opening hours.

The number of customers may be restricted, and customers are asked to pay by contactless where possible.

Barnardo’s is accepting donations, but please call ahead.

• www.barnardos.org.uk/shops/our-shops

 

 

Emmaus

The Emmaus Department Store, located in the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre, re-opened its doors on Monday 15 June.

Emmaus provides a home, meaningful work, training and support to people who have experienced homelessness or social exclusion. The majority of funds needed to support the charity’s work in Lancashire is generated from its Rochdale social enterprise.

Explaining the new measures, Stephen Buchanan, Director of Emmaus in Rochdale, said: “We are pleased to have re-opened our large Emmaus Department Store and welcome back our supporters in Rochdale. The store is a great resource for the people of Rochdale who need affordable new and quality second-hand items.

“We have closely followed advice from the Government and Charity Retail Association and have implemented new measures to keep everyone safe. These include limiting the number of customers at any one time, installing markings and signs throughout the store and hand sanitiser stations at all entrance doors.”

The Emmaus Department Store stocks a wide range of new and quality second-hand settees, lounge furniture, dining tables, chairs, beds, wardrobes, office furniture and new kitchen appliances. All proceeds raised from the sale of these items is then used to support a community of formerly homeless people.

Due to the 12-week closure, the Emmaus team in Rochdale cannot accept donations until staff have worked through the backlog of items. For people wanting to donate their items to Emmaus, the charity is asking that they hold on to them and if possible, ensure they are cleaned and packed in bags or boxes and then secured with tape and labelled. Collections of larger items will resume from July.

The Emmaus Department Store is located within Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre, 50A Market Way, Rochdale OL16 1EA. The store is open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

• www.emmaus.org.uk/rochdale

 

RSPCA

The local Rochdale & District branch of the RSPCA is looking at reopening its first shops in the first week of July, with an aim to have them all reopen by the end of the month.

• www.rspca-rochdale.org.uk

 

Petrus

Petrus Community Store sells second-hand, high quality goods to raise funds to support people experiencing homelessness and those in housing need.

Pam Barrett, Store Supervisor, said: “We miss our loyal customers and wonderful volunteers, but their safety remains our priority, and since we’re a bigger store it’s taking just that little bit longer to put the right measures in place before we reopen. We will ensure that we are in line with the latest Government guidance to protect one another, including social distancing, handwashing and quarantining donations.

“But while we’ve been closed, we’ve been selling items online via our eBay page - including a nurse who purchased one of our Ryedale ladies bikes to commute to work during this challenging time.

• www.ebay.co.uk/usr/petruspeoplestore

“We’re asking if anyone has donations for us that they ‘Store it for Later’ but we’re working on a plan to accept furniture donations in the next few weeks.

“Until then, you can call us on 01706 341189 (10am to 3pm, Monday – Friday) or email petrus.people@petrus.org.uk to book in any furniture you’re hoping to donate and we can check if your item is suitable to take.

“We can’t wait to open our doors but for the time being, please don’t leave any donations outside our store as we’re unable to process them. Stay safe and see you all soon!”

Keep an eye on Petrus Community Store’s social media to find out more on when they’re reopening and accepting donations:

• www.facebook.com/petruscommunitystorerochdale
• www.twitter.com/petrus_cmty

 

Scope

The Scope website lists the Rochdale store as temporarily closed, but does not given an indication of when it will reopen.

 

Sanctuary Trust

Sanctuary Trust has not yet identified a reopening date.

John Wigley, regional manager of Sanctuary Trust, said: "My thoughts are that the current guidelines are too excessive for us to consider reopening the charity shop at this time. This is not to say I hold any particular opinion on the measures stipulated; all charity shop with very limited turnover, there is too much that will need to be done to make the shop safe enough for opening at this time. I plan to wait until measures are eased before identifying a reopening date."