Marie Curie needs to bring in £250,000 a week to pay for its hospice and care services in Scotland
A charity is getting its shops up and running again as it deals with the coronavirus fallout.
End of life care charity, Marie Curie, will be opening the doors of three more of its Scottish charity shops next week. The shops are: Alexandria (Monday 6 July); Perth (Tuesday 7 July); and Portobello (Wednesday 8 July).
This brings the total number of Scottish Marie Curie shops which will be open to five, all chosen as part of a pilot as the stores have adequate space for social distancing. Shops in Bearsden and Larkhall opened on Monday (29 June).
The coronavirus has had, and continues to have, a devastating effect on Marie Curie’s fundraising income – income which is relied upon to be able to provide vital care and support for dying people and their loved ones. The charity needs to raise £250,000 a week to run its Scottish services, supporting people in their own homes and out two Scottish hospices.
Cathy Clarke, Marie Curie retail district manager, said: “Not only do our shops provide a vital income so we can continue caring for dying people and their loved ones, but we know lots of customers have also missed being able to come into our shop, hunt for a bargain and talk to our staff and volunteers. Charity shops give a sense of community you don’t always get in other high-street stores.
“We want everyone to feel supported and the safety of our staff, volunteers and customers is of the upmost importance, so we’ll be following a comprehensive range of safety measures. These include the quarantine of donations for a minimum of 72 hours to reduce the risk of contamination, increased cleaning, hand sanitiser stations and face coverings for staff and volunteers, as well as floor markings to ensure social distancing.
“Many of us have been sorting and clearing out preloved items from our homes. If you have any quality clothing, footwear, accessories, DVDs, CDs, books, homewares and small electrical items, please donate them to Marie Curie. The money we raise is essential for the charity to continue its vital work.”
