Demelza's Distribution Centre in Sandling Road, Maidstone is now accepting donations

Families who have spent lockdown de-cluttering their children's cupboards now have somewhere to take unwanted belongings.

Demelza Hospice Care for Children, which provides specialist care for children with terminal conditions and their families, has reopened its distribution centre in Kent to begin accepting donations again.

The charity has begun accepting donations again to help it raise much needed funds to support its work
The charity has begun accepting donations again to help it raise much needed funds to support its work

Households which may have spent this extended period at home going through cupboards, toy boxes and wardrobes can now take unwanted and outgrown clothes and goods to the charity in preparation for them to be sold in its stores across the county and further afield.

Demelza says it has been putting all the necessary safety measures in place at the distribution centre in Maidstone to begin accepting donations from a designated drop-off zone within the Sandling Road car park.

Donations, says the post on its facebook page, will be organised and quarantined for at least 72 hours prior to them being distributed to its network of shops where it is hoped they will help to raise much needed funds for the children's charity.

Demelza Hospice Care for Children has 27 charity shops across Kent, East Sussex and South East London.

All donations will be quarantined to ensure everyone's safety
All donations will be quarantined to ensure everyone's safety

Unwanted items can be taken to the car park drop-off point between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Saturday, but families are encouraged to check with the website first for the current list of items staff and volunteers are able to accept.

Where possible, Demelza also asks that items are sorted into different categories before being left for example putting children's clothes into one bag and books into another.

For more information on the types of items it can currently accept click here.

Those wanting to donate items are being asked to only take goods to the designated drop-off point and not to leave any items unattended outside any of its shops or at the donation station at the Sittingbourne hospice as these cannot be collected or stored safely at present.

Alongside other parts of the high street, charity shops will slowly begin reopening again
Alongside other parts of the high street, charity shops will slowly begin reopening again

From this week the charity also hopes to begin a gradual reopening of some of its shops, as high streets across Kent begin welcoming shoppers again, starting with the retail outlet also in Maidstone and the Gillingham Clothes Shop. Screens have been installed at counters and staff given PPE where it is required. These shops will be open from 10am until 3pm.

For more information about donating and shopping to support Demelza please click here.

Alongside shops and high streets, a number of Kent wildlife parks are also reopening from this week. Learn more about those and the safety measures in place by clicking here.

For more family-releated news and events visit www.mykentfamily.co.uk

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