“At least it got my mum out of the house” – Importance of charity shops as they prepare to reopen

Nigel Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Bargain hunters are on stand-by as charity shops in Salford prepare to reopen from December 3 post-lockdown. 

Charity shops offer the chance to buy recycled items for a good cause but also provide a sense of community particularly for elderly residents.

However, the pandemic has threatened to destroy these types of communities, and the charity shops that help maintain them.

Mother-of-two Caroline Holt, from Walkden, said: “It’s just one of those things, there’s always been room for charity shops on the high street, the way I see it there always will.

“My mum loves going down.

“Even if she doesn’t buy anything, at least it’s got her out of the house.”

Charity workers feel the impact

Paula Taylor, of The Extra Care Charity Shop in Irlam, is preparing to reopen as lockdown comes to an end. She spoke of the impact Covid-19 has had on the industry.

She said: ”I’ve noticed a lot of regulars shielding. It’s impacted the amount of take-ins we’ve received.

”This time of year is where retail makes most of its money.”

Despite lockdown, Paula said the shop had received more financial donations than ever and thanked her customers for their ongoing support, even during these tough times.

Age UK reports that there are 1.4m chronically lonely older people in England, a statistic that threatens to grow in these harsh restrictions.

As Paula states;

”We are very much a community shop.’

”People love to come in, even for a chat. We’re on first name basis with a few and they will say things like ‘you’re the first person I’ve spoken to today’, it’s sad.”