Buying a new sofa for 2010? Donate your old furniture to a Weston charity

A charity in Weston-super-Mare is appealing to people to give them their unwanted furniture.

Weston Hospicecare is asking people who are getting new furniture either for Christmas or in the new year sales to donate their old items to the Uphill-based charity, which will collect it for free.

The hospice relies on donations of unwanted goods to sell in its shops throughout North Somerset, raising vital funds for the charity, which provides free palliative care to thousands of people with life-limiting illnesses.

Peter Boyer, the charity's retail controller, said: "There is clearly a rise in sales at high street furniture stores, which means people are getting rid of their sofas and other furniture.

"We want to remind the community that they can put that old sofa to good use by giving us a call.

"We will collect it for free and sell it in our shops as we have a great demand for second-hand furniture.

"People know and trust our shops and look for quality used items, so we need the supply to keep up with demand."

Any drop-off in furniture donations mean the charity, which provides free palliative care to about 1,100 people a year with life-limiting illnesses, could lose out on tens of thousands of pounds.

Weston Hospicecare has furniture shops in High Street, Worle, and Devonshire Road, in Weston.

All money raised from the sale of the furniture goes directly to the hospice and funding its services.

For more information call 01934 642334.