DECLUTTERING?

GET IT TAKEN AWAY FOR FREE WITH A NEW CHARITY APP

With summer now behind us, attention is rapidly turning to Christmas. For charity shops this period is a key time to sell more goods and raise money for good causes; but often they are held back by a lack of the right stock. So charities in the Rossendale area are appealing for people to donate goods to them - and now it’s easier than ever with a new smart phone app that’s called Gone for Good.

The app allows users to take pictures of what it is they want to donate to charity. They enter their Postcode within the app, which then produces a list of charities that will pick up those items for free from their homes. The app, which has been nicknamed “Uber for charities”, couldn’t be simpler to use. Already it has raised tens of thousands of pounds for good causes.

Mark Charnock, Managing Director of Gone for Good said, “We are delighted by the progress of Gone for Good since we launched and with the amount we are helping to raise for good causes. Also, by making it easy for people to donate goods to charity we’re increasing levels of re-use and recycling and helping to reduce the amount of stuff sent

to landfill.”

Manchester-based Gone for Good rolled out the new service across the UK earlier this year and are partnered with charities across the country. Charities in the local area working with Gone for Good include Age Uk, BCTFS, Bolton Hospice, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Debra, The Furniture Station, Mind, ReBuild, RSPCA, Scope, Sue Ryder, Renewal NW, Tree of Life and Willow Wood. The award-winning app is available on iPhone and Android phones and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.

And as for the goods that charities would especially like people to donate currently, the list includes Coats / jackets, knitwear, party dresses, suits, beds and large electricals. But the charities are grateful for donations of most clean, saleable clothes, furniture, electrical items and household goods. Charnock added, “We are working with lots of charities across the country, but if there are other charities locally who think Gone for Good would benefit them and help increase donation of goods from the public, we’d be happy to hear from them.” said Charnock.