Sunderland's Bridges Shopping Centre to support British Heart Foundation campaign

The Bridges in Sunderland will host a Bag It. Beat It. event at the centre on February 13.

Shoppers will be urged to visit the centre to collect bags and donate their things to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) campaign. The items will go on to be sold in local BHF branches.

Each of the donated bags will help to fund lifesaving heart research. Last year, the charity raised more than £130million solely from voluntary income.

Andrew Bradley, Centre Manager of The Bridges Shopping Centre, said: "We are delighted to be hosting a Bag It. Beat It. event this year as it helps to raise lifesaving funds and vital awareness for a fantastic cause.”

Volunteers will be at The Bridges on the day giving out donation bags to the public, and asking them to fill them up and drop them at a local BHF shops.

Clothes, shoes, books, handbags, DVDs, CDs, bric-a-brace and children's toys are welcome.

Nigel Bullock is the British Heart Foundation's Area Manager.

He said: "We’re urging everyone in Sunderland to have a clear out and donate bags of their unwanted stuff to Bag it. Beat it.

“People often don’t realise that the books, shoes or dress they donate to or buy from their local BHF shop actually raises vital funds and helps pay for life saving research.

“Every week around 2,000 families lose a loved one to heart disease, but with continued support from local people, the BHF can fight harder to reduce this figure.”

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