Charity launches click-and-collect services for its NI shops

By Rebecca Black, PA

A charity has launched a click-and-collect service at seven shops across Northern Ireland.

St Vincent de Paul (SVP) will feature clothes and other items from their charity shops on their Facebook page for contactless payment and collection.

It will be the first time the shops have been able to trade since the start of the latest lockdown in December.

Some click-and-collect services are permitted in Northern Ireland from Monday as part of the first relaxations of the coronavirus restrictions this year.

Click-and-collect shopping, with payments made contactlessly, are permitted for some retailers considered non-essential who sell baby equipment, clothing and footwear, and electrical goods.

Monday also saw the first children return to school since December and the number of people allowed to meet outdoors in a public space increased to ten people from two households.

The Stormont Executive is set to formally review the restrictions again next week.

Anne Crossan, regional retail manager for SVP, said they felt it was perfect for them to try using click-and-collect.

Pictured - Gerry Keating, store manager of Vincent's on the Ormeau Road in Belfast, photographing baby items that will be posted onto the store's Facebook page. 

She said some SVP shops in the Irish Republic were able to use it successfully last year.

“We have got seven shops (in Northern Ireland) who are going to try it to see how they get on,” she told the PA news agency.

“We are using the shop’s Facebook pages. Normally they use them to share news from the shops, such as promotions or a volunteer getting recognised.

“So now the guys will be photographing and uploading images of items on to Facebook and the public can post a comment to confirm they want to buy it.

“The next step is, they ring the shop to make the payment remotely and arrange a time for the customer to collect it.

“It’s very simple but we’re hoping that it’s going to be effective.

“The guys are all geared up because it’s something new for us, they’ve been away from the shop since before Christmas so the paid staff and volunteers are so excited to get back. It’s great to see the buzz among them.”

(Pictured - Gerry Keating, store manager of Vincent's on the Ormeau Road in Belfast)

SVP shops have also started accepting donations again.

“There is plenty of goodies in the shop already but we’re hoping we’ll start getting more in too and we’ll have more to sell on Facebook,” she said.

Ms Crossan said SVP is well supported, but said lockdown has been challenging for both the charity as well as those who rely on their shops.

“We’re meant to be providing a service to the community and also raising funds to go back into SVP,” she said.

“There are people out there who cannot afford most shops, and when they need winter coats and shoes for their children, their first port of call is a charity shop, and we haven’t been able to trade.

“We also consider ourselves a real wee community hub, a lot of the time people come in just for a bit of craic, and it is sad not having been able to do that.

“Charity retail in general has struggled, we have invested a fortune in personal protective equipment and a lot of time training staff and volunteers.

“The click-and-collect allows us to take a step forward.”