All non-essential shops including Charity shops are able to re-open from Monday, June 15 as lockdown restrictions ease.

Not all charity shops in Yate and Chipping Sodbury will open on Monday, with many having a staggered approach to opening their stores as they prepare for an expected increase in donations.

To comply with social distancing requirements and to maintain safety for both staff and customers, each shop has implemented different measures. All stores will quarantine donations, some for up to one week.

St Peters Hospice shop in South Parade, Yate Shopping Centre will be the only one out of their 3 local stores to re-open Monday.

The store has implemented social distancing measures including screens around the till space. They will be encouraging contactless payments and they will only take a maximum of 5 donation bags per household.

Break Charity Shop, Horse Street, Chipping Sodbury has a strict daily schedule, to ensure they comply with the guidelines. The store will operate on restricted opening times.

They will take donations from 9am until 10am and then again between the hours of 4pm and 5pm.

Shopping times will be restricted to 10am until 12.30pm and then from 1.30pm until 4pm.

The shop will be closed every day from 12.30pm until 1.30pm for sanitising.

Break will be operating a one-way system and ask customers to kindly queue outside so they can limit customers in store at any one time.

Break charity shop, manager, Shiela Swan said:

"We are looking forward to welcoming back our customers. we have implemented the new structure for everyone's safety and it will be reviewed as we go on. We are anticipating lots of donations as people have been clearing out their homes during lockdown.

"We would ask if donations can be delivered during the allocated times only please, as we need to immediately quarantine them. As always we are grateful for all donations, every donation helps. We are extremely pleased and grateful to also be welcoming back our team of volunteers."

Blue Cross Charity shop in Chipping Sodbury is planning to re-open from July, date to be announced.

British Heart Foundation charity shop in Yate shopping Centre will not re-open on Monday. However, the charity have launched a post to donate service, to allow the public to give their decluttered items and support us to help save lives.

The BHF will begin to reopen their 750 nationwide shops alongside their postal donation initiative.

Allison Swaine-Hughes, retail director at the British Heart Foundation, said:

“Our charity shops run purely on the support of the public, which is why we never take for granted a camera, record or video game that’s donated to us. Every item we sell helps fund our vital research.”

“Our new postal donation service is quick, easy and free. It’s the perfect solution if your local BHF shop is not yet open and you have items you want to give, or you’re simply not ready to head to the high street.

“Every pound raised in our shops helps us to support the 7.4 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases, many of whom are at increased risk from Covid-19. Your donations can help us help them.”

To use the postal service go to the BHF webpage and request a freepost label. You will receive an email with your label,

Print the label off or bring the email in to one of 7,500 nationwide Collect+ drop off points to be printed off there.

Packages can be up to 10kg.