How you can donate and volunteer at Chorley and South Ribble charity shops as they reopen this week

Derian House Children's Hospice has opened its shop doors in Leyland and Chorley today and will run on reduced hours from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday.

The charity has said it will quarantine all donated items brought to the Hough Lane and Cleveland Street stores for 72 hours at its Adlington warehouse before sorting them and putting them on sale to prevent the risk of contamination.

Retail manager Andrew Upton-Ford said: "We've taken the stance of being extra cautious. Safety is more important.

"We'll be inundated with items so we're trying to control the situation. One of our peers at Trinity Hospice in Blackpool received more than 300 bags of donations. A lot of people are clearing out their homes and the consensus is that we're going to be busy."

The Charity Retail Association (CRA) says charity shops have lost customer sales of £3.4 million a day during lock-down and is asking for the public to help the sector recover. It is also asking people to be mindful about what they donate and contact their local store before dropping off items. Its campaign will include social media activity, videos and downloadable posters, which charity shops can display in their windows.

Robin Osterley, the CRA's chief executive, said: “Measures are being taken to ensure that staff, volunteers and customers are kept safe, and the risks are minimised when reopening.

“Charity shops couldn’t operate without their dedicated workforce, including over 233,000 volunteers, and the money raised goes towards incredible causes. Donations from the public are very much appreciated, and needed, at this time. We are asking the public to bear with us and help charity shops reopen safely. Everyone can do their bit to help our amazing charity shops get back on their feet. This crisis has proven that, together, we are stronger."

He adds that donors should check when, where and how their local charity shops are accepting donations as many have limited storage space.

Both Derian House and St Catherine's Hospices say they are also using safety measures to protect customers, including contactless payment, screens around the tills, and a one-way system, as well as closing the changing rooms.

"But we don't want to discriminate against people who only have cash so they can put their money in a tray," said Andrew.

Flat pricing will be used by Derian House on several items, especially clothing, to minimise handling by customers. The charity's exchange-only policy has also been changed to allow customers to return items if needed.

"There's the fear of people rummaging around and picking things up multiple times. So we want to encourage customers to buy without trying," Andrew said.

There will also be social distancing measures, including queuing outside and a limit on the number of shoppers allowed in-store at one time. In Leyland, for instance, it is set at three people. Floor units have been stripped away in all Derian stores and all goods are placed on the walls to provide more space to move around.

Andrew is also determined to protect staff and volunteers, who will wear PPE like gloves and face masks.

He said: "We rely on lots of volunteers at our stores. Many of them tend to be in the vulnerable group by age or health. We don't expect anyone to come back if they feel unsafe as we don't want to put anyone in jeopardy.

"Many people volunteer for the social aspect so we've been checking that their mental health is OK. We're worried about that."

The biggest challenge regarding volunteers is the number of people allowed in the shop at one time, according to the manager.

He added: "It makes it difficult if the shop is very small and can't fit many people in. But if we have too many volunteers for our stores, we will always find them something else to do."

In fact, the charity particularly needs volunteers in the warehouse where it has transferred much of its operations, as well as in e-commerce and for posting and packaging.

"We've had a knock-back in sales but we're very fortunate that retail isn't our main income. For some charities, it's been disastrous. I really feel for them," Andrew added.

Online shopping, however, has big been a big earner for the charity during lock-down, with its e-sales shooting up from zero to £1,000 a week.

The Derian team set up an online platform during the pandemic and has spent the past few weeks selling items on eBay.

"We now have vibrant and growing eBay, Depop and Discogs businesses. They have enabled us to reach people beyond Lancashire, as far as Germany and Australia," Andrew said.

He adds that he has been most surprised by how much people are willing to spend online, with a second-hand jigsaw going for £25. Most of the stores' designer clothing will be sold on eBay, and the charity has been shipping a lot of sports wear, designer shorts, and retro video game consoles.

St Catherine's Hospice

The hospice plans to open its Leyland shop first, as soon as precautionary measures have been taken. The store has two entrances and exits, allowing for a one-way system.

Carole Hoyle, head of retail at St Catherine’s Hospice, said: “We are also looking to re-launch our eBay site very soon and potentially add some items for sale on our website, as well as posting photos of furniture for sale on our Superstore’s Facebook page, which people can pay for over the phone, to help generate further much-needed income for the hospice."

Items for the charity's shops can also be left at its 24/7 drop-off Donation Centre in St Catherine’s Park.

Cats Protection

Cats Protection is currently putting a plan in place to re-open its shops and will announce the dates on its social media channels as soon as they are confirmed.

Age Concern

The Bamber Bridge, Buckshaw Village, Chorley and Leyland shops all opened on Monday. Age Concern plans to reopen its Cleveleys store early July. Opening hours will be reduced to 10am till 4pm.

Everyone will be asked to sanitize their hands before entering, a limited number of people will be allowed in the shops at any time, including our staff and volunteers. Donations are being quarantined for 72 hours before being sold and one-way systems have been displayed to help the flow of people.

Please visit each Age Concern shop's website for details about how and where donation drop-offs can be made.