MENTAL health charity Mind – which has a shop in Stockton Heath – has achieved record-breaking sales of £1.5 million since re-opening last month.
But the charity urgently needs volunteers in the Warrington area to help recoup the losses due to a year of lockdowns
Mind’s 160 charity shops across England and Wales have raised an astonishing £1.5m in the first month since reopening their doors to customers – the best month ever in Mind’s retail history.
The charity is grateful to everyone in the North West for shopping and donating their pre-loved items, generating valuable funds. But they are calling for further support, as shops in the North West urgently need volunteers to help sort, price and sell generous donations.
These vital funds can’t come soon enough, as Mind announces a predicted £13m loss of retail generated income since the first lockdown. Simultaneously, Mind has seen a huge increase in demand for their trusted information and support services, of which Mind shops have always been a key source of funding.
Last year, 20 million people accessed Minds online and print information – the highest on record, and there were 117k mental health queries responded to by the charity’s Information team via phone, email and webchat. Mind has previously warned of a ‘mental health pandemic’, after their survey of over 16,000 people[1] found two in three (65 per cent) adults aged 25 and over, and three in four (75 percent) people aged 13-24 with an existing mental health problem reported worse mental health during the initial lockdown. With increased demand on the charity, and decreased funds, shops in the North West need volunteers and donations now more than ever.
Mind is urging those who can’t volunteer their time to donate their pre-loved items. After months of Mind shops being closed, and a sudden surge in sales since reopening, stock levels across shops are low. It was winter when Mind’s shops closed – with heavy coats still lining the rails – so clothing for the spring and summer months is particularly needed. The average bag of items donated to a Mind shop is worth around £30 – 25 percent more if the donor signs up for Gift Aid.
