Bag it. Beat it for BHF!

Princesshay has joined forces with British Heart Foundation (BHF) shops to launch their Bag It. Beat It. campaign, which urges the Exeter community to donate bags full of unwanted items.

Every bag donated will fund life-saving heart research, helping over 40,000 little heroes continue to fight congenital heart disease.

Before the BHF was founded, only one in five babies born with congenital heart disease saw their first birthday, let alone their first day of school. Thanks to pioneering research, now around 4,000 children are able to experience their first day of school every year.

The Bag It. Beat It. event at Princessday was officially launched by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Percy Prowse.

On every Friday and Saturday in September, BHF volunteers will be in Princesshay giving out stock donation bags and asking shoppers to fill a bag with good quality clothes, shoes, books, handbags, DVDs, CDs, bric-a-brac and children’s toys then take it to the drop point in the centre or the BHF shop.

After the event at the shopping centre has ended, filled bags can continue to be donated to Bag It. Beat It. at the local BHF shop.

Andrew Littlejohn, Operations Manager at Princesshay, said: “The Bag It. Beat It. event is a great idea and provides the perfect opportunity to sort out the cupboards and give away items that you no longer want or need. We jumped at the chance to support this event and help raise life-saving funds. Please ask friends, family and colleagues to get involved too. Head to the centre where you can collect a Bag It. Beat It. bag, fill it and return it to the drop off point.”

BHF Area Manager, Melanie Kowalski, said: “We’re urging everyone to have a clear out this September and to donate bags of unwanted items to Bag it. Beat it. Your unwanted items will raise vital life-saving funds, helping little heroes continue to fight congenital heart disease.

“The BHF currently funds over £14 million into congenital heart disease research and this year we need to raise even more. I would like to thank everyone that donates a bag of items, and continues to help us fund pioneering research.”

For more information or to find your local BHF shop, visit bagit.bhf.org.uk.