BRITISH Heart Foundation (BHF) charity shops in Warwickshire are reopening their doors.
Branches in Leamington’s Regent Street, Rugby’s High Street and Warwick’s Market Place opened this week, and the Stratford shop on Sheep Street will open on Monday (July 27)
BHF’s 750 shops nationwide closed in early March due to the pandemic. The charity estimates the crisis has been costing it around £10million a month, which it fears could impact its future funding for research in the region.
Shops have new measures in place to help keep staff, volunteers and customers safe. This includes social distancing on the shop floor, protective equipment for staff and volunteers, and the contact free collection and processing of donated items.
Allison Swaine-Hughes, BHF retail director, said: “Our charity shops run purely on the support of the public, which is why we treasure every customer who shops with us. Every item we sell helps fund our vital research.
“The coronavirus crisis has had a devastating impact on our income, and we anticipate having to cut our research budget by around £50million this year. Now, more than ever, we are in urgent need of public support and donations to enable us to continue to support the charity’s important work.”
Visit www.bhf.org.uk for further details.
