If Christmas is the season for giving, is it time to give back in January?

published on 29 Feb 2016

If Christmas is the season for giving, charity shop teams for The Salvation Army are urging Brits to consider giving back in January by clearing out their cupboards for charity. Research by the charity found that we each get at least three gifts we don’t want at Christmas, with over 40 per cent of these ending up at the bottom of our cupboards*. With this in mind, The Salvation Army is asking people to simply donate any unwanted items to charity in the New Year.

Paul Wright, Head of Retail for the Salvation Army Trading Company said: “When you consider that people spend hundreds of pounds on presents every year, it’s a crying shame that some Christmas gifts get buried and forgotten at the bottom of cupboards. Unwanted clothes and gift items have more value than you think – by donating to us, items will not only get a new lease of life in someone else’s home, but they help us raise much-needed funds to support vulnerable people here in the UK.”

Christmas might be over, but The Salvation Army’s work with people in need must continue. Its charity shops across the country help to raise money for people living in poverty, homelessness and addiction services, care for older people, help at emergency incidents, support for adult victims of modern slavery in England and Wales, a Family Tracing Service and much more.

Paul added: “We urgently need to keep our shelves stocked with your fabulous donations so that The Salvation Army can continue running support programmes for people in need. All we ask is that people make sure unwanted items don’t sit around gathering dust - consider donating them after your January clear-outs instead!”

The Salvation Army Trading Company’s charity shops help to raise millions of pounds each year for programmes with people in need; in the last five years alone, the British public has helped its reuse and recycling initiatives raise over £35 million for the church and charity.

To find your nearest shop, visit:

http://www.salvationarmytrading.org/finder

http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/map-page