Local charity Hospiscarehas launched a new green business – offering house clearance services across Exeter, mid and east Devon to help stock its chain of charity shops.
Helen Hutter, Head of Retail at Hospiscare, said the new venture would tie in with the opening the new flagship Hospiscare shop in Exeter’s Fore Street which offers customers a “department store” experience....but with bargain prices.
Helen explained that the House Clearance project was responding to longstanding local demand. “For some considerable time people have been asking if we could clear homes or flats and take away goods for our charity shops but we just didn’t have the staff or resources in place to offer this service. We pride ourselves at Hospiscare for doing everything to a very high standard so we decided if we were going to do this, we would need to do it professionally as a stand-alone new business venture.”
Now, after months of research, planning and piloting, the new service will offer a range of house clearance options from a full fee-based service to selective removal.
“Full house clearance is available for a fee whatever the need to clear a property,” said Helen. “It may follow a loss or change within a family or it may be that a buy-to-let property is to be sold. Whatever the case, we can promise sensitive, reliable and professional support from fully-trained staff.”
Selective removal is an option with no fee allows Hospiscare to take away just the furniture and goods which can be sold through the charity’s chain of shops.
This chain includes the new flagship Hospiscare store opposite British Home Stores in Exeter’s Fore Street to showcase the wide range of goods from the new House Clearance venture.
“Launching a new business takes a lot of planning and is is always a little daunting,” said Helen, “But we have everything in place now and are very proud that this is such a green initiative. A pilot period has gone extremely well with excellent feedback from customers. We feel really confident that this new business responds to a need and by using us, families will know that all profits will be used to help local families being supported by Hospiscare.”
Helen added that a key factor in setting up the new business was help from corporate partner Thrifty van and car rental who have named Hospiscare as the company’s charity of the year. Thrifty have supplied a van for the new house clearance business at a big discount. Linda Malliff, director of central services at Thrifty, explained : “Supporting local charity Hospiscare means a great deal to all the staff at Thrifty and by assisting with van rental for this house clearance project, we hope to make things a little bit easier and in turn help generate much-needed funds for this deserving cause.”
Full details about how to book the new Hospiscare service are available by phoning 01392 874856 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday or by emailing clearance@hospiscare.co.uk
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