Justin Tomlinson MP at the Swindon British Heart Foundation Shop with Manager Michelle
Iveson (left) and Area Manager Margaret Richardson (right)
Justin Tomlinson MP today visited the British Heart Foundation shop in Havelock Street to promote the Choose Charity Shops campaign.
There are an estimated 9,500 charity shops on the UK’s High Streets, supporting around 17,000 paid jobs and 180,000 volunteering opportunities. Together, they raise a staggering £200 million a year for UK charities.
Yet charity shops are in desperate need of donations, to support the work of the charities they raise money for, and to boost the employment and volunteer opportunities the shops provide.
Honorary President of the Swindon British Heart Foundation, Justin Tomlinson MP, visited the BHF’s shop on Havelock Street to have a look behind the scenes at what happens to the goods people donate.
80% of the goods donated to the shop are sold, with the other 20% of items being recycled, raising money in itself. Nationally, charity shops reduce net CO2 emissions by about 3.7m tonnes per annum.
All the good donated to the Swindon shop go directly onto the Swindon shop floor. After two weeks, unsold items are circulated to the Cirencester store, then to Newbury, before coming back to Swindon, ensuring that the shop always has fresh stock.
Justin Tomlinson MP said “I am forever taking car loads of things to my local charity shops, only last week I dropped off a bag or two at the British Heart Foundation and it is vital that we all carry on donating. 9 books donated to the BHF will fund an hour of heart research, 6 handbags will pay for someone to receive lifesaving ‘heart start’ training and 22 dresses will pay for a dedicated heart nurse for a day. This is the difference our unwanted goods can make and I urge everyone to consider taking redundant clothes, books, furniture and toys to their local charity shops, enabling our charities to carry on their vital work.”
http://www.bhf.org.uk/
http://www.choosecharityshops.org/