British Heart Foundation invites donated items by freepost ahead of Black Friday
Howard Lake | 9 November 2020 | News
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is inviting shoppers to donate any valuable items they are replacing in the sales this month, using its freepost donation service. The charity is trying to make the most of Black Friday, which this year falls on Friday 27th November.
The organisation states that Black Friday donations will not only help raise funds for research into heart and circulatory diseases but will also prevent items in good condition from going to waste.
The appeal comes against the backdrop of shop closures across England as a result of the November lockdown. These will add to the loss in income that the charity, and very many others, have experienced since March. The closure of its 730 shops for several months and cancellation of many fundraising events has resulted in its net income falling by around 50% this financial year.
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Hence its appeal to shoppers who will be on the hunt for cut-price deals online at the end of this month. BHF welcomes a wide range of donated items, many of which can be posted, while the charity’s high street shops are closed.
How to donate via freepost
To donate an item via post you should visit the BHF website and request a freepost label. They can then make use of the freepost service while visiting any Collect+ point for essential shopping. And if they need to hang on to items until Black Friday, the charity invites them to put aside these items so that they can donate them once shops reopen.
For larger household items, such as sofas, sideboards, beds, TVs, exercise equipment and homewares, donors in England can book a free Covid-secure collection via the BHF website once shops have reopened. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland BHF shops can continue to make collections at this time.
Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “With our high street shops in England temporarily closed, we need the public’s support now, more than ever. As Black Friday approaches, you can still easily support us through our retail operation, either by shopping online with us or by donating your unwanted, quality smaller items via our freepost donation service.
“Do check our website for details of how to post us your preloved items or visit our eBay and Depop shops to view our fantastic ranges. By doing so, you can help us continue to raise funds that can be spent on making scientific breakthroughs for those living with heart and circulatory diseases.”
Environmental benefit
Last year the BHF helped saved 71,000 tonnes of items from landfill and prevented 135,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.