A Sheffield city centre charity shop has launched an urgent appeal for donations amongst a string of charity shop closures.

Age UK on Norfolk Row, an outlet charity shop that sells items at reduced rates, has launched an appeal on Facebook for urgent donations so that it can keep its doors open.

David Gardner, 32, a shop manager from Doncaster, said: “We are very, very desperate for stock.

“We’re pleading with people to get some more donations coming in.”

With the branch being an outlet shop selling items priced under £3, the product turnover is significant.

Currently, the shop needs an average two thousand items to be donated per week in order to remain afloat. 

Mr Gardner said: “We rely completely on the public for donations.

“The parking’s not a brilliant situation which doesn’t make it easy.”

Over the past week, ‘closing down sale’ signs have popped up in various charity shops around the city, including the Age UK in Broomhill, and the Cancer Research on Ecclesall Road.

Mr Gardner said: “I think there’s a lot of reasons. Online, people are turning to places like Vinted, Facebook for selling things.

“It’s a difficult time for everybody at the minute, people need the money.”

“A lot of charities still haven’t recovered from the pandemic.

“The costs have all risen, a lot of people think we don’t pay anything but we do.

“We pay the same as any business, we pay full rent, we pay wages for anybody running the shop, heating, electricity, that’s all risen.”

He added: “But our prices don’t rise to reflect that because it wouldn’t be fair to the person buying the  items.”

Unlike some branches in the city where profits support projects in Sheffield, sales from Norfolk Row aid the charity on a national level.

In recent months, Age UK campaigns have been successful in repealing the roll-back of the Winter Fuel Allowance as well as the motion to remove ticket offices in train stations.

Mr Gardner said: “We really do support a lot of people and Age UK is needed more than ever now.”

The shop takes all kinds of items, from clothes to media – but doesn’t take furniture.

Parking bays can be found at the bottom of Norfolk Row, and staff said that if you ring in advance they can help you carry items from your car.