CHARITY shops which support the work of St Leonard's Hospice are reopening.

St Leonards Hospice temporarily closed its donation centre and 14 shops as a result of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, losing vital income needed to provide care for patients and their families with a life-limiting illness.

Its shop in Acomb and the Ousegate branch in Selby will be opening on Tuesday, June 16, initially for three days per week from 9am to 3.30pm.

Retail manager Helen Moreton said: “Our outlets in Acomb will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays between 9am and 3.30pm, with donations only accepted at the donation centre.

"Our shop in Ousegate is opening at the same times but on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and will also be accepting donations.

"The safety of our customers, volunteers and staff are of paramount importance to us and so we have put stringent safety measures in place. We have installed screens at the tills and ensured hand gel is available for everyone. We will also limit the numbers in the shop at any one time to allow for social distancing.

"We will also be quarantining donations for 72 hours before they are sorted and then displayed in our shops.”

Helen added: “We know lots of you have items ready to donate and for that we are truly grateful, as we need your donations and your custom more than ever.

"To help us save time and cut down on waste, we have a #SortItYourself checklist on social media and our website that asks for only good quality items to be donated which means more time and money can go towards supporting patients and those close to them.”

St Leonard’s are aiming to reopen the remainder of their shops in July, initially be on a part-time basis.

To find out more about the #SortItYourself checklist contact the retail team on 01904 788 777.