RSPCA charity shop in Bedford to open its doors again after lockdown

The RSPCA charity shop in Bedford is opening its doors again from tomorrow (Wednesday, July 29).

A spokesperson for the branch said: “We have missed all our customers and volunteers so much during the lockdown so we are thrilled to be back. Support for our charity shops during these difficult times means a lot to us as it means we can continue to care for local animals who need our help.”

Jenny Eden, RSPCA retail specialist, added: “As branches are separately registered charities, their charity shops are a vital source of income to ensure that we can continue to care for animals in need in the local area, so we are thrilled to be able to open our doors to customers again and accept much-needed donations.

“We want to reassure our supporters that we will ensure the experience of shopping in our charity shops will be as safe and comfortable as possible.

"We are taking measures to protect our staff and our customers including the use of plastic screens, providing hand sanitiser, storing donations for 72 hours before they are sorted, wiping down hard goods and steaming clothing items before they go onto the shop floor.”

The Bedfordshire North Branch charity shop is based at Thurlow Street, Bedford. But be warned, opening hours have changed to allow for cleaning - the shop will now open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am until 4pm.

If you have one small bag of donated items, you can drop it off at the shop - but for larger numbers of bags or large items, call the shop first to make an appointment.