I had the pleasure earlier today of visiting the British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop in Wallington, and meeting some of the staff who work on the shop floor and volunteers who give their time in the shop, helping price up items and sorting through donations kindly given by the public.
It was great to hear more about how sales from the shop help fund lifesaving research and hear about the impact of Covid-19 on the charity’s work. I also learnt more about about the work that goes into generating those vital donations and making sales that contribute to the millions of pounds raised each year by the charity’s retail arm.
The Wallington shop was one of the BHF’s 750 nationwide shops that sadly had to close for several months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact of shop closures and the cancellation of fundraising events and other charitable activities has been devastating to the British Heart Foundation’s income and has led to a £50 million reduction in its funding for new research this year. As a result, the charity is urging the Government to provide much needed financial support to the sector, in order to protect UK research funding from this drastic decline.
Now, as its shops have reopened with new safety measures in place, the BHF has been delighted to welcome customers back and support locals keen to shop and donate, as every item sold will help aid in the charity’s recovery, funding lifesaving research and supporting those affected by heart and circulatory diseases.
Many BHF shops and stores are also now offering volunteering opportunities that will not only help support its work but also help develop employment skills for those economically affected by the pandemic, such as learning new tasks, improving their CV and boosting confidence.
To volunteer at a shop, make a donation or find out more about the BHF’s research, visit www.bhf.org.uk
