Your Guide To Guernsey’s Charity Shops

There’s something particularly satisfying about a good declutter. But once you’ve sorted the things you’re ready to part with, the next question is: what to do with them?

Donating good quality items to a charity shop is one of the easiest ways to give them a second life. You’ll keep useful things in circulation, help someone else pick up a pre-loved find and raise money for a good cause in the process.

So, from clothes and homeware to furniture and more, here’s our guide to Guernsey’s charity shops and the good causes they support.

And there’s a new addition to Guernsey’s charity shop scene, with Les Bourgs Hospice launching a dedicated children’s shop at Oatlands.

 

Image credit: Les Bourgs

Les Bourgs Hospice

St Martin, The Bridge and Oatlands

The main Les Bourgs Hospice charity shop in St Martin is a treasure trove of pre-loved finds, with clothes and accessories alongside books, homeware and bric-a-brac. There’s a second shop on The Bridge, which focuses on women’s clothing, and Les Bourgs Hospice is expanding its charity shop offering with a new dedicated children’s charity shop at Oatlands Village.

The children’s shop specialises in pre-loved children’s clothes, toys and accessories. It’s good news if a clear out of the children’s bedrooms has left you with bags of outgrown clothes and toys that still have plenty of life in them.

Money raised through the shops helps fund Les Bourgs Hospice, which provides specialist palliative care, free of charge, to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across the Bailiwick. The Hospice currently receives no States funding, so income from its charity shops, along with donations and fundraising, plays an important part in keeping its services running.

Good to know: Donations for all of Les Bourgs shops are currently accepted at the St Martin shop on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Check the latest donation times before you visit and get in touch before heading down with larger items, as there are some things the Hospice cannot accept.

 

 

British Red Cross

Rohais, St Peter Port

A good all-round option for a wardrobe or household clear out, the British Red Cross shop sells a wide range of donated items, including pre-loved clothing, shoes, books and homeware. It also has a consistently good selection of quality second-hand books.

Money raised through the shop helps the British Red Cross support people facing crisis, from responding to conflicts and natural disasters around the world to providing welfare and emergency response support here in Guernsey.

Good to know: Its Rohais location, with easy parking, makes this a particularly handy option if you have several bags to donate. Donations can be dropped off at the shop during opening hours.

 

Image credit: Health Connections

Health Connections

The Pollet, St Peter Port

If your idea of a charity shop is slightly chaotic rails and piles of bric-a-brac, Health Connections might surprise you. Its beautiful new shop in Town is a light, stylish space, with carefully presented pre-loved clothes, accessories, vintage pieces and the chance to come across some genuinely special finds.

But it’s about much more than shopping. The shop includes a welcoming CONNECT space, somewhere to sit, pause for a while, meet people or find out more about the support, activities and opportunities available around the island. There’s comfortable seating, books and magazines, and space to simply spend a little time.

Money raised through the shop is key to helping Health Connections become more self-sufficient and supports its work helping islanders feel less isolated and connecting them with the services, activities and community support they need.

Good to know: Donations should be taken into the shop during opening hours rather than left outside. Check current opening hours before you visit.

 

 

Relationships Guernsey

Smith Street, St Peter Port

Head to the top of Smith Street and you’ll find another charity shop packed with pre-loved finds, run by Relationships Guernsey, with a dedicated GSPCA pet room too.

The shop takes good-quality donations and sells a real mixture of items, making it another useful Town option when you’re having a clear out.

All the money Relationships Guernsey raises locally stays in Guernsey. It helps provide counselling for individuals and couples, including support for people who would otherwise be unable to afford it. The charity receives no States funding, making fundraising and income from the shop particularly important.

Good to know: The shop welcomes good-quality donations, but space is limited, so check with the team before taking in anything particularly large or bulky.

 

 

Cancer Research UK

The Pollet, St Peter Port

The Cancer Research UK shop is a handy Town option for passing on good-quality clothes, accessories, books, homeware and other pre-loved finds.

Money raised helps fund Cancer Research UK’s work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, supporting research into new ways to prevent cancer, detect it earlier and develop more effective treatments.

Good to know: You can drop donations off in the front of the shop, or call ahead to check whether the rear drop-off is available, which can make life easier if you have several bags.

 

 

Giving Opportunities

Southside, St Sampson

Giving Opportunities, better known as GO, combines giving things a second life with giving people new opportunities. The main focus of this pre-loved shop is furniture, but you'll also find a selection of household goods, linens, bric-a-brac, bicycles and tools, alongside clothing and jewellery.

The local social enterprise uses the money raised through its retail and recycling activities to provide training, confidence building, work experience and employment opportunities for people who may face barriers to employment.

It’s particularly useful to know about if you’re clearing out larger household items, with furniture, bikes and other donated goods among the pre-loved things that can be given another lease of life through GO. 

Good to know: If you have large furniture to donate or need it collected, GO asks you to email photographs first so the team can check whether it is something they can take. It’s also worth checking its current donation list before you visit, as what it can accept changes depending on stock levels.

 

 

The Salvation Army

Nocq Road, St Sampson

The Salvation Army’s Guernsey Community Centre includes a charity shop selling good-quality pre-loved clothing, shoes, toys, books and bric-a-brac, with prices deliberately kept affordable.

And there’s a community element here too. The charity describes the shop as somewhere people can find a listening ear as well as a bargain, while the wider centre includes an affordable café and other community activities.

Money raised supports the Salvation Army’s wider work providing practical help and community support to people who need it.

Good to know: The shop welcomes good-quality donations, but there are some things it can’t accept, including furniture and electrical items. Check its current donation guidelines before dropping off anything you’re unsure about.

 

 

Citizens Advice Charity Shop

Mont Arrivé, St Peter Port

This is one to remember if your clear out goes beyond the wardrobe. The Citizens Advice Charity Shop accepts a broad range of good-quality donations, including furniture, clothing, toys, books and bric-a-brac.

The shop is run by the Friends of Citizens Advice Guernsey, with money raised helping Citizens Advice provide free, confidential and impartial advice and information to people across the Bailiwick.

Good to know: The shop is particularly useful for good-quality furniture and household items, and collection can be arranged if you have furniture to donate. Check with the shop about current collection arrangements.

 

 

Before You Donate

Remember, donating and disposing are two very different things. Charity shops can only make money from things they can resell, and having to dispose of unsuitable donations can cost charities money.

As a general rule, only donate things that are clean, complete, in good condition and genuinely reusable.... If you wouldn't buy it, don't donate it!

What individual shops can accept will vary, particularly when it comes to electrical goods, furniture, baby equipment and larger household items. And opening hours and donation times can change, so it’s always worth checking with the charity before making a special trip.

But once you have made your drop off, you can head home to enjoy the extra space, knowing the things you no longer need might be exactly what somebody else is looking for.