Store gives away stock for two great Hartlepool causes

Shelves of a Hartlepool entertainment store were cleared in an event that provided big boosts to two town charities.
Manager at the Renew store, Middleton Grange shopping centre, Hartlepool, Shannon Murphy (centre) helping Kirsty Buttery (left) of Hartlepool Families First and Annie Stalley (right) of Help Alfie Walk choose as many items as they can from the shop for the charities to sell on to raise funds.Manager at the Renew store, Middleton Grange shopping centre, Hartlepool, Shannon Murphy (centre) helping Kirsty Buttery (left) of Hartlepool Families First and Annie Stalley (right) of Help Alfie Walk choose as many items as they can from the shop for the charities to sell on to raise funds.
Manager at the Renew store, Middleton Grange shopping centre, Hartlepool, Shannon Murphy (centre) helping Kirsty Buttery (left) of Hartlepool Families First and Annie Stalley (right) of Help Alfie Walk choose as many items as they can from the shop for the charities to sell on to raise funds.

ReNew in Middleton Grange Shopping Centre offered all of their stock for free to customers and two selected Hartlepool charities.

Hartlepool Families First and Alfie Smith’s walking fund were invited into the store to take their pick of reconditioned DVDs, computer games and CDs to use towards their causes.

Shelves were emptied of stock during ReNew's Blue Monday event for charityShelves were emptied of stock during ReNew's Blue Monday event for charity
Shelves were emptied of stock during ReNew's Blue Monday event for charity
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Customers also made donations to the two charities for their free items.

The Blue Monday giveaway, which was repeated in the chain’s four other North East branches, was the brainchild of ReNew’s owner Martin Murphy.

He said he wanted to give something back to the charities who had helped his family after a recent bereavement.

He said: “It’s been brilliant. We are just totally overwhelmed. The charities have got as much as they can physically carry.

Shelves were emptied of stock during ReNew's Blue Monday event for charityShelves were emptied of stock during ReNew's Blue Monday event for charity
Shelves were emptied of stock during ReNew's Blue Monday event for charity
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“Every branch has had one or two charities attend, but we still don’t know how much has been raised in total yet.

“In the Stockton store, some people were chucking 10 and 20 pound notes in. It’s done phenomenally well for the charities involved, we’re really pleased.”

The giveaway took place from 1pm on Monday and only ended when everything had gone.

Families First, based in York Road, took away a stack of 100 DVDs, PlayStation and Nintendo Wii games, and music for use in a wide range of projects it runs for children with special needs.

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Nicola Thompson, section head for children and young people, said: “It is a good boost for the charity.

“We received a wide range of DVDs for the children to watch, music to relax to and also computer games they can interact with.

“The Wii games especially will help to keep them fit as well.

“They will be used all over our projects including youth groups and after school clubs.”

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The Facebook page for Alfie Smith’s fund posted: “Big thank you to ReNew Hartlepool letting our fundraising team come down and get some fantastic freebies.

“These will be of great help to our next Tombola/Raffle event in March.”

Alfie has cerebral palsy and his family are leading a huge fundraising effort to raise £50,000 needed to pay for a life-changing Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) operation.