After many weeks of closure, we have been re-opening our shops on a phased basis so we can get back to raising vital funds for Hospiscare patients.
COVID-19 has massively impacted all aspects of life in recent months and as we came out of national lockdown with restrictions easing over summer, normal life now looks very different for our staff, volunteers and customers in the Hospiscare shops.
We’ve had to rethink a lot of our processes, from cleaning routines and safety measures, to managing donations and coping with reduced volunteer support. Hospiscare shops play an important role, both as a way to raise much-needed funds for patient care and for the benefits they bring to the local community, so adapting the way we work to allow the shops to re- open has been extremely important.
Keeping our staff, volunteers and customers safe is paramount. We’re closely following all the latest government guidance and have implemented a range of safety measures in our shops including:
- Strictly following social distancing guidelines
- Providing hand sanitiser stations to customers entering or leaving the shop
- Limiting the number of people in the shop at any one time
- Accepting card payments only
- Ensuring face coverings and other PPE are available for staff and volunteers
- Quarantining donated goods for 72 hours prior to sorting them
- Regularly sanitising surfaces and cleaning the shop throughout the
We’ve also had to change how we accept donations from our supporters. Shops that have reopened are accepting donations by appointment only, including our warehouse store in Marsh Barton. We are continually monitoring our donation levels and government guidelines so these arrangements may change from time to time. For the latest information, click here.
We’ve also been asking donors to pre-sort their donations before bringing them to us. This simple action can have a huge impact as, sadly, our costs for recycling low quality donations are approximately £50,000 per year – money that would make a huge difference to patients and their loved ones across our region. We ask potential donors to pose the question, “Would I buy it?” If the answer is no, then those items are best taken to your local recycling centre. For the latest information on what goods we’re able to accept and advice on how to pre-sort donations, click here.
We’re so grateful for the overwhelming support we’ve had from our volunteers, staff and the wider community as we have adapted how we work, allowing us to continue to raise vital funds for Hospiscare patients and their families.
