Julia’s House Shops to Reopen
Julia’s House, the Dorset and Wiltshire children’s hospice charity, is preparing to re-open the remainder of its popular high street charity shops in July.
The charity’s flagshop superstore in Creekmoor, Dorset was the first to throw open its doors following the easing of lockdown, and will soon be followed by the remainder of its eleven shops including Devizes and Salisbury on 6th July. Opening hours for all shops will be 10am – 4pm, Monday to Saturday.
A host of safety measures in line with current government guidance have been put in place, including strict cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures. A COVID-19 risk assessment is available to view in each shop and online, and the charity has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that 2m social distancing is in place throughout.
“There will also be some changes to our donations policy.“ explains Julia’s House Retail Manager, Tracy Stanley. “If you would like to make a donation we ask that you drop it off at the shop before we open, between 9am and 10am only. We will only be able to take 4 bags of donations at a time per person, as many of our shops only have small stock rooms and each bag has to stand for 72 hours before we can unpack it. All these changes are in place so that we can provide a safe and stress-free shopping experience for our customers, donors, staff and volunteers. We are looking forward to welcoming you all back very soon!”
Julia’s House has continued to support local children with life-limiting conditions and their families throughout the coronavirus crisis, adapting its care on a day-to-day basis to support the most vulnerable people in the community and easing the pressure on local health services. While the Government support for UK hospices has been welcomed, the likely economic downturn following the pandemic means the charity’s fundraising faces a challenging future.
