The Fylde coast's Trinity Hospice makes special plea to people leaving donations outside its shops
“But clothing left outside, particularly loose on the pavement like this, very quickly stops being a useful donation. If it becomes dirty, wet or otherwise unsuitable to sell, we then must dispose of it.”
Trinity Hospice is urging people not to leave donations outside its charity shops after clothing was found strewn across the pavement outside one of its stores.
The Fylde coast hospice charity has issued the plea after colleagues arrived to find loose clothing dumped immediately outside the entrance to its shop on Vicarage Lane, Blackpool.
While Trinity Hospice, and its dedicated children’s hospice, Brian House, is hugely grateful for the thousands of donations given to its shops, it is reminding supporters that items should only be handed over while shops are open.
Items left outside are exposed to the weather and can become dirty, wet or damaged. The charity cannot guarantee the condition of clothing that has been left unattended outside its premises and, if items cannot be sold, it is left with the responsibility and cost of disposing of them.
The charity said this takes money away from the very reason its shops exist: to raise vital funds for hospice care.
Trinity’s Head of Retail, Paul Guest, said: “We know people leaving bags outside our shops often do so with the best intentions, and we’re grateful that they want to support us. But we’d ask them to consider one simple question: would you buy something you had seen lying on the pavement? Please help us make the most of your generosity by bringing donations in when our shops are open.
“Our shops rely on the incredible generosity of our community and we are enormously grateful for good-quality donations. Our colleagues and volunteers work hard to turn those donations into vital funds for hospice care.
“But clothing left outside, particularly loose on the pavement like this, very quickly stops being a useful donation. If it becomes dirty, wet or otherwise unsuitable to sell, we then must dispose of it.
“That means our charity is effectively being asked to foot the bill for clearing it away, using money which should be supporting hospice care.
“Please don’t leave donations outside a closed shop. If we’re not open, take them home and bring them back when we are. We absolutely want your
donations, but we need the opportunity to look after them properly so they can actually raise money for our charity.”
Trinity Hospice has more than 35 charity shops across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, selling donated clothing, accessories, homeware and other pre-loved goods to raise vital money for the charity’s services. Together, they raise over£1million each year which is spend on providing exceptional palliative care to local families in the hospice, in hospital and in people’s own homes.