Two new town centre community donation boxes, organised by Darlington Cares, will make it easier for people to give to charity,

The donation boxes will be in the Queen Street Shopping Centre and Cornmill Shopping Centre.

The Queen Street box will be for seasonal donations as well as for the Darlington Cares uniform shop which will mean people can drop off unwanted school uniforms when the shop is closed.

The box in the Cornmill Centre will be for seasonal donations throughout the year.

The boxes will also serve as a visual aid to remind people to donate if they can.

The Northern Echo: The donation boxes will serve as a visual aid, encouraging and reminding people to donate if they can. Picture: Chris BoothThe donation boxes will serve as a visual aid, encouraging and reminding people to donate if they can. Picture: Chris Booth (Image: Chris Booth)

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Louise Hardy from the Queen Street Shopping Centre said: “Thanks to Darlington Cares we can give our shoppers the chance to make donations to different good causes and continue our support the uniform shop.

“The uniform shop has been really popular, and people have been donating since 2020. We want to make the donations boxes targeted for Christmas, Easter etc.

“The donation boxes will be a visual aid to remind people to donate if they can.”

Sue Young from the Cornmill Shopping Centre said: “The community donation box is a great way for the public to support different good causes throughout the year.

“We’ve got a donation box installed near WHS Smith and it’s been really popular. We want it to be full all the time.”

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Amanda Riley, cabinet member for Stronger Communities, said: “I am delighted that Darlington Cares has arranged these donation boxes, in the heart of the town centre, which will make is easy for residents to give to good causes throughout the year.

“I know people want to give to charities, especially those helping people in Darlington and this is a great way to do it.

“Initiatives like the school uniform shop are helping so many people across the town and I hope the collection box in the Queen Street Shopping Centre will help it go from strength to strength.

“We’re in a cost-of-living crisis so this will definitely benefit people, and it’s encouraging sustainability too.”