British Heart Foundation in St Marks Place, Newark is asking the community for donations, offering a free collection service to areas including Lincoln and Grantham

A shop is desperately asking the community for donations to continue lifesaving research.

British Heart Foundation charity shop at St Marks Place, Newark is doing free collections across the area including areas as far as Lincoln, Bingham and Grantham.

They are appealing to the public for donations of clothes, shoes, handbags, games and toys, books, homewares, DVDs and CDs.

The shop manager, Rachel Hill said: “We know people are hanging on to their stuff a lot more, money is tight, people aren't going out and buying that new coat or whatever.

“We just need that push, to know that they can come to us, we can collect and they don’t have to drop it in themselves.

“It is important to donate to the Heart Foundation, it is vital research and that has slowed down since covid, and then we had a boost where all the sales picked up again where people were desperate to get out and support us.

“Even now, they support us but it’s all about that lifesaving research and that’s why we need donations for.”

The charity shop manager said that their donations have been massively affected since the demolition works at the former M&S building started and hoardings were put in place.

She added: “Our biggest impact has been those gates, people used to be able to drive around the back of the shop and drop stuff, but they can’t now.”

The donated items will help fund lifesaving research into heart disease, stroke, vascular dementia and diabetes.

People can either donate at the shop or call 01636676563 for free collection.