The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced that its second-hand shop on The Galleries in Washington sold more romantic novels than any of its other stores in the UK, raising £6,824.37 from the book sales in just 12 months helping to fund its vital heart research.
The announcement comes as new research into retail habits from the charity found that we have become a nation of pre-loved shoppers with 79 per cent of the public now shopping second-hand every month.
Washington Shop Manager Carly Moore is delighted with the accolade: “We knew we sold a lot of romance novels, but never imagined we’d come top of a UK-wide poll. Our volunteers have to fill our spinner throughout the day as customers just can't get enough. Rhonwyn is an avid romance reader herself so she is always on hand with recommendations.
“We’re so grateful for every donation and every sale in our shop and we hope that with the help of romantics in Washington we can hold on to our new chart position for years to come.”
This month marks the start of Reuse Revolution, the BHF campaign raising awareness of the benefits of shopping and donating via its 680 nationwide shops – preventing good quality items from ending up in landfill, saving consumers money and helping to fund lifesaving research.
Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at the BHF, said: “We are so grateful to savvy shoppers in Washington and throughout the UK, for choosing to shop with us. Whether you’re buying a romance novel, a lampshade, or shopping for a whole new wardrobe, you can visit your local British Heart Foundation shop, or browse our online stores, to pick-up some unique bargains.
“This Spring we are asking the public to join the Reuse Revolution and shop, upcycle or donate second hand furniture, homeware, clothes and toys while helping to raise funds for life saving heart research.”
In a year, the BHF saves over 54,000 tonnes of goods from going to waste, including 186,000 sofas and armchairs.