LOCKDOWN clear-outs have boosted charity shop stocks across the region but some are struggling to cope and need more volunteers to help.

The Mind charity is continuing to reopen its eight North-East shops, including in Darlington and Norton, and is seeing unusually high levels of donations.

Unfortunately there are far fewer staff and volunteers to manage the influx. Mind shops saw more than double the usual donations levels on their first week of reopening in June.

Collectively they received 14,000 bags of donations to their England shops in one week; 8,000 more than expected compared to donations this time last year. In total since reopening, Mind have received 77,000 bags, an increase of 24,000 over last year.

While donations have surged, many volunteers are still unable to go back to work as they are shielding, are in poor mental or physical health or have caring duties.

This has left staff and volunteers working harder than ever to manage not only higher donations, but the new safety measures which require daily cleaning and managing customers to help enforce social distancing.

This work is physically and mentally challenging, and without new volunteers staff will struggle to cope.

Andrew Vale, director of Mind retail, said: “We are thrilled to welcome customers back into our shops, and are making their safety, and the safety of our staff and volunteers, our number one priority.

"We want to thank the public for their generous support so far but ask you keep helping us by volunteering in your local Mind shop.

"Without our unpaid heroes we wouldn’t be able to raise the vital funds to support the one in four of us experiencing a mental health problem.”

The average bag of stock donated can be worth up to £30, but is worth nothing if the charity does not have volunteers willing to clean and sort items, create displays and assist customers.

Sam Wraight, Sunday supervisor at the Alnwick Mind Shop, said that his role in store has brought great benefits.

He said: “Working here has changed my life.

"When I came to volunteer at Mind I was an introvert, I never left my room, I was depressed, I was afraid of the outdoors and I didn't speak to anyone. "Since volunteering here I've gone from that to having my own flat, I go out with friends and I’ve gone from working in the back room to mainly working at the till with people, and I’m now in a paid role as the Sunday supervisor.

"The team pulled me out of depression.

"I even came out as gay to them and it's something I could never see myself doing.

"It's become more than just a job, they’ve accepted me and I couldn’t thank them enough.

Anybody interested in volunteering for the charity can find details at mind.org.uk or visit their local shop.