A PROJECT to raise funds for a charity which helps victims of house fires to get back on their feet is opening its doors next week.

Furniture and other bric-a-brac will go on sale at a Middlesbrough charity shop when a team of volunteers aim to raise money for people who have lost property in house fires.

The empty unit at the Parkway shopping centre, Coulby Newham, has been handed over free of charge to the Cleveland Fire Support Network (CFSN) for six weeks starting on Monday, January 22.

The opening of the unit follows a similar exercise two years ago where £9,000 was raised for the charity.

Heather Wyman, CFSN chief executive, is calling on people to show their support and raise as much money as possible for the charity.

She said: “It is a wonderful gesture by the shopping centre and we are hoping to raise as much money as possible. It will be used to replace items that may have been lost in a fire.

"This can range from sofas, chairs and tables to Christmas presents that may have been destroyed. A fire in the home can be a very traumatic experience and we just want people to know there is support and help on hand.

"We help people as much as we can by offering them a wishlist of their needs and we try to meet them as best as we can – whether it is supplying some new towels while people are unable to return home or arranging kennels for family pets.

"People can also have a look around all of the goods that we have on offer and they are then delivered to them free of charge.

"All the items have been donated by the local community and funds raised will help fire victims.

"One of the vital services that we offer – which often gets overlooked – is when we take away people's goods that have been smoke damaged and clean them before people return to their homes."

The money raised by the charity may also go towards helping out young people who may be in need of extra support to live in their own homes.

She added: "As well as supporting people whose property has suffered fire damage, we also try to help people have been flooded. It's not very often that we are called in to do that but it's one of the many things where we try to help.

"Another service that we offer is supplying and fitting smoke or fire alarms for people with hearing impairments."

Supporters can also visit www.clevelandfiresupportnetwork.org to check out the charity's online auction site.

For further information about becoming a volunteer or all of the services available from the charity should contact the office on 01642-288009.