Marie Curie charity shop in Portobello to reopen

End of life care charity, Marie Curie, will reopen its charity shop in Portobello on Wednesday 8 July, and urgently needs the support of customers now.

This is will be the only Edinburgh shop to open, and only the fifth Scottish Marie Curie shop to open as part of a pilot, chosen especially as the shop has enough space for physical distancing. 

Coronavirus has had, and continues to have, a devastating effect on Marie Curie’s fundraising income – income which is relied upon to be able to provide vital care and support for dying people and their loved ones.

The charity needs to raise £250,000 a week to run its Scottish services which include the Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh at Fairmilehead and nursing service which supports people in their own homes across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Cathy Clarke, Marie Curie retail district manager, said: “Not only do our shops provide a vital income so we can continue caring for dying people and their loved ones, but we know lots of customers have also missed being able to come into our shop, hunt for a bargain and talk to our staff and volunteers. Charity shops give a sense of community you don’t always get in other high-street stores.

“We want everyone to feel supported and the safety of our staff, volunteers and customers is of the upmost importance, so we’ll be following a comprehensive range of safety measures. These include the quarantine of donations for a minimum of 72 hours to reduce the risk of contamination, increased cleaning, hand sanitiser stations and face coverings for staff and volunteers, as well as floor markings to ensure social distancing.

“Many of us have been sorting and clearing out preloved items from our homes. If you have any quality clothing, footwear, accessories, DVDs, CDs, books, homewares and small electrical items, please donate them to Marie Curie. The money we raise is essential for the charity to continue its vital work.”

Visit the Marie Curie website to find out how to donate your preloved items and to find out more about how you can support Marie Curie.

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