8:02am Tuesday 9th February 2010
By Mark Stead
THE recession may officially be over, but a York charity is still feeling its shockwaves as it battles plummeting levels of donations.
The Scope shop, in Goodramgate, has revealed it has been hit by a 20 per cent drop in the amount of clothes and other goods being donated in the space of only a few months. Its efforts have also been hampered by a “noticeable decline” in the quality of items which are being donated.
Now Scope volunteers are sending out an appeal for people to scour their homes and bolster the charity’s stock levels with clothing, household goods and bric-a-brac as they try to reverse the recent trend of shortages.
Jayne Edwards, the charity’s area manager, said: “Many of the shops in our region are continuing to feel the pinch of the recession and have seen their donations noticeably decrease over the last few weeks. We would urgently encourage the people of York to come out and support us and bring their unwanted high-quality clothes direct to the shop.”
Scope’s woes come after an investigation by The Press last year discovered charities and voluntary groups across the city were struggling to cope in the face of declining donations and an increase in demand for what they have to offer, combined with cuts in funding from agencies and legacies being tied up in unsellable properties.
Among the major charities who admitted they were experiencing problems caused by the economic climate were Age Concern York, Martin House Hospice and York Against Cancer.
Scope – which fights for disabled people to have the same rights and opportunities as others – says the money received from selling donated items is vital for the continued running of services such as the free advice and information line Scope Response.
As well as donations, the shop is also looking for volunteers to help raise more funds for its work. More information is available at scope.org.uk
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/trade_directory/