A children's charity has seen a noticeable drop in donations since moving to new premises in a Suffolk coastal town - and is calling for people to come forward with items they no longer need.
East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) opened at the former NatWest Bank site on the corner of Hamilton Road and York Road in Felixstowe in June after moving from smaller premises across the road.
However, although the shop is continuing to "flourish" in terms of customers visiting to buy goods, the number of donations has gone down.
READ MORE: EACH has opened on the corner of York Road in Felixstowe
The store's manager Haze Selby-Dee said the reason for the drop could be that people were unaware the shop has moved to a new location.
She said: “It’s something we’ve certainly become aware of, since moving here.
“It’s hard to pinpoint why that would be, unless it’s simply a case of people not knowing where we are now.
“Perhaps they see our old base and think we’ve stopped trading in Felixstowe.
READ MORE: EACH is moving shop to Hamilton Road premises in Felixstowe
“It’s just a case of making people aware and reiterating the message that we need donations more than ever.
"Not just in terms of quantity but quality, too."
READ MORE: Felixstowe news
She said the shop was having to rely on additional support from its retail distribution centre in Thetford.
“It’s certainly not ideal but hopefully it’s just a case of making people aware. They can bring things into the shop, or, for now, park at the back and press the doorbell,” she added.
Bethan Reid, whose daughter Gabriella receives care at EACH's Treehouse centre in Ipswich, cut the ribbon to open the new EACH store.
The charity, which provides care and support to life-threatened children and their families, decided to move shop to occupy a "bigger, better and brighter" premises after outgrowing its previous home.
The NatWest closed on September 27, 2017, with the bank blaming a sharp reduction in the number of transactions.
READ MORE: Suffolk news
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