'˜The cupboard is bare' - Alice House Hospice appeals for charity donations from public

Alice House Hospice runs a string of charity shops in Hartlepool and East Durham that provide vital funds to help people with serious illnesses.

But now hospice bosses say the shops are running low on stock and have appealed for people to donate good to the vital town charity.

It will cost £3.2 million to continue providing the current range of services this year, yet Alice House Hospice receives only 15% government funding.

The outstanding £2.7 million must be raised through the local community and other fundraising initiatives.

A spokesman on the hospice's Facebook page said: "The cupboard is bare!

"Our retail team currently have NO stock of new donations to sort out, which means that our shops are now running solely on what is on the shelves!

"We need donations of quality new and used goods to keep these shops going and raising money for Hospice patients. It’s brilliant that we are selling so much and thank you all for your donations and custom, but we desperately need more goods to sell.

"Please help by donating and by sharing this post! Thank you."

Alice House Hospice, based in Wells Avenue, Hartlepool, is a registered charity offering specialist palliative care to hundreds of adults from Hartlepool and East Durham each year.

Individuals who access Hospice services can be living with a variety of illnesses including Cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, Motor Neurone Disease, end stage heart disease and Parkinson’s.

Each patient and their family/carers receive a tailor-made package of services to meet their physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological and cultural needs in an atmosphere of comfort and dignity.