The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is urging residents to support its local charity shops and help raise funds for vital heart research.

The BHF is reopening its Nottinghamshire stores and urging people to support them in its recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

On Monday the BHF shop on Regent Street, Mansfield, and the Mansfield Furniture & Electrical Store on Stockwell Gate both reopened.

The Newark BHF Shop in St Marks Shopping Centre is due to open its doors for the first time since March on 27th July.

The charity estimates the crisis has been costing it around £10 million a month, which it fears could impact its future funding for research in the region.

The BHF says it’s thrilled to be reopening its doors and is asking the local community to support it by donating good quality items or popping in to snap up a bargain. Every item donated and sold will help raise vital funds for research into heart and circulatory diseases.

BHF shops and stores have new measures in place to keep staff, volunteers and customers safe. This includes social distancing on the shop floor, protective equipment for staff and volunteers, and contact-free collection and processing of donated items.

Allison Swaine-Hughes, retail director at BHF, said: “Our charity shops run purely on the support of the public, which is why we treasure every customer who shops with us. Every item we sell helps fund our vital research.

“The coronavirus crisis has had a devastating impact on our income, and we anticipate having to cut our research budget by around £50 million this year. Now, more than ever, we are in urgent need of public support and donations to enable us to continue to support the charity’s important work.

“Each pound raised in our shops helps us to support those 560,000 people in the East Midlands living with heart and circulatory diseases, many of whom are at increased risk from Covid-19. Your donations can help us help them.

“We are hugely grateful for the patience of all our customers and look forward to welcoming you back very soon.”

To find your local BHF shop visit www.bhf.org.uk/shopl

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