Shop offering bags of help to cancer charity
STUART PIKE
ACANCER charity is hoping to benefit from vital help now that a shop which pays out for bags of preloved clothes, shoes, bags, belts and accessories, has re-opened for business.
Clayton-le-Moors’ Cash 4 Clothing shop, on Whalley Road, has been supporting Rosemere Cancer Foundation (RCF) since September 2017, giving customers the option to donate the value of their unwanted items, paid at a rate of £4 per 10kg bag.
The shop has raised £866.14 so far.
Staff member and RCF stalwart Bob Tuffnell, who lives in the town with wife Trudy, is hoping mass clear-outs after lockdown will lead to an influx of customers willing to help the charity.
Bob said: “Trudy and I have supported Rosemere Cancer Foundation for more than decade following treatment Trudy received for breast cancer at Rosemere Cancer Centre.
“Usually at this time of year, we would be very busy helping out at fundraising events across the county but because of the pandemic, everything is cancelled.
“I know at the start of lockdown, a lot of people had tidy-outs but charity clothing bins in supermarket car parks were sealed and charity shops closed.
“We have just reopened so hopefully, people will still have their bagged items and will bring them to us in support of Rosemere Cancer Foundation.”
Along with Vanessa Ratcliffe, who is in charge of the store, Bob has worked to prioritise customer safety so that bags can be dropped off and weighed as quickly as possible while adhering to social distancing. All donations will be quarantined and she and Bob will be behind a protective Perspex counter screen, wearing gloves and masks for the safety of themselves and customers.
Louise Grant, RCF’s East Lancs fundraising coordinator, said: “We would like to thank Vanessa and Bob for appealing to customers to help us.
“Our income is about 60 per cent down on this time last year because pretty much our entire fundraising programme has been lost so every penny really does count at this moment.”