BORDERERS are being urged to recycle and ‘re-gift’ their unwanted Christmas presents to help vulnerable children in the year ahead, and help bring festive cheer to those who have gone without.
Barnardo’s Scotland is appealing for unwanted gifts from the festive season to be donated to its shops in Selkirk and Jedburgh so they can be sold to raise vital funds.
With an estimated 30 per cent of the gifts given at Christmas being unwanted, Barnardo’s Scotland guarantees it can find a customer for those unwanted gifts. Online auction company eBay goes even further, approximating that £652million is spent on unwanted gifts over the festive season - many of which end up on the site’s auction pages.
Marie Williams, Area Business Manager said: “We’ve all received a gift at Christmas that’s not suitable, such as the wrong size clothing or two of the same item - by donating any unwanted Christmas presents to our shops you will not only be re-gifting, but also helping Scotland’s most disadvantaged children.
“Every year Barnardo’s Scotland works to turn around the lives of 10,000 children, young people and their families in over 98 projects across the country. Every penny raised plays a vital part in ensuring we continue to support these children,” added Ms Williams.
Barnardo’s Scotland has 69 stores across Scotland, including a newly opened ‘donation centre’ based in central Edinburgh. Shoppers can buy quality collectibles, household goods, books, toys, fashions, books, accessories and high-tech electricals – perhaps even finding the present they really wanted in exchange for the one they don’t!
And Barnardo’s has devised a hit list of the top five most ‘unwanted’ gifts:
1. Digital photoframes – surprisingly the popularity of this novel and fun gift has waned in recent years, but they still make wonderful gifts for friends and family looking for space-saving ideas
2. The second most popular ‘unwanted’ Xmas gift for Barnardo’s charity shops is an assortment of gadgets, including digital organisers – great for a friend or relative who needs some planning for the new year!
3. Barnardo’s shops were inundated with gift sets of toiletries and cosmetics after Xmas last year which proved very popular with customers shopping in advance for Mother’s Day
4. Even more gadgets! A survey by the British Video Association at the end of 2010 revealed breadmakers, electric shavers, footspas and candyfloss-makers were slipping off the most wanted list, and have been reappearing in Barnardo’s stores. They’re popular items so Barnardo’s Scotland is always glad of donations.
5. Double ups of DVDs and CDs prove a real winner for Barnardo’s charity shops who are able to sell them on quickly and raise more cash for vulnerable children.