Coronavirus: Charity shop closures a 'realistic possibility' warns sector leader

The charity sector is facing increasing pressure as the coronavirus pandemic takes hold across the UK

The closure of charity shops in the UK is a "realistic possibility", an industry leader has warned, as the coronavirus pandemic puts the sector under mounting pressure.

Gemma Sherrington, executive director of fundraising at Save the Children, said fundraising has become increasingly difficult as growing numbers of people are urged to remain at home.

"The spread of the coronavirus is a major concern for Save the Children, and for all charities," Sherrington told The Independent.

Sherrington added that the sector was seeing an "increasing demand" for services. However, an elderly volunteer workforce meant that many organisations had already been forced to cancel shifts and events.

When asked if the outbreak could result in the closure of high street charity shops, Sherrington said: "I think we've got to consider it.

"Our advice to the public is to put your health first, especially in terms of volunteers. We would ask any volunteer who is feeling unwell to stay at home."

Robin Osterley, chief executive of the Charity Retail Association, said charity shops across the country could start closing in "quite substantial numbers" amid the outbreak.

Osterley, whose organisation represents 9,000 charity shops across 400 different charities, added: "The biggest issue for our members right now is staffing, because we rely heavily on volunteers in this sector.

"A lot of them are elderly and they are now thinking that they should be staying at home.

"I think there is potential for shops to have to close, possibly in quite substantial numbers over the next few weeks."

Osterley added that closures would not only take place to "preserve" the health of the volunteer workforce but also because there would not be enough staff to keep the shops open.

He said the closures were likely to be temporary, but added: "Clearly there are risks for all those involved."

Earlier this week a number of charities launched emergency appeals as funding "vanished overnight", with one organisation saying it could lose between 40 to 80 per cent of its yearly income.

Child.org, a small international development charity, started a campaign on Wednesday in a bid to raise extra cash.

Ellie Dawes, fundraising and communications manager at Child.org, said: “We're reaching out urgently to our supporters with this appeal, because we've just seen the vast majority of our sustainable income sources vanish overnight.

"We're asking for donations but also contacts, ideas, any way in which our extended Child.org family may be able to help.

Charities that need an extension to their annual tax return deadline due to the coronavirus pandemic can contact the Charity Commission for assistance.