St. Vincent de Paul appeals for unwanted gifts

The Society is grateful for all donations of unwanted gifts, clothing and bric-a-brac with the funds raised by the shop staying in the area and used to support the charity’s services for local people in need.

Pauline Brown, regional manager of SVP NI, explained: “Through local volunteers, the charity works to help alleviate poverty in the area and to tackle its causes.

“The Vincent’s charity shops also provide a vital lifeline to those in the community who use the shops to pick-up goods at a low-cost as well as a hub for meeting people and having a friendly chat with our volunteers. But importantly they are a vital way for us to raise much needed funds to support and expand our work further into the local community and help even more people in the area.

“Home visits are the cornerstone of our work and every week thousands of visits are carried out throughout Northern Ireland where we assist families and individuals through social contact, advice and practical support, mainly to help them with food, energy and educational costs.”

She added: “We would be so grateful if people can have a hunt around after Christmas and set aside any unwanted gifts or perhaps pre-loved toys which Santa has replaced with new ones, which we could then sell.”