Devon Air Ambulance makes a plea for your pre-loved items to support the service

Throughout the pandemic, Devon Air Ambulance (DAA) shops have exceeded the minimum level of Covid-Safe precautions recommended by the Government and have achieved an even higher level of protection to ensure the safety of their staff, volunteers and customers.  

Now, following the most recent lifting of restrictions, the charity's 19 shops, although they remain cautious, are fully open for business and in need of your help! 

Since the DAA shops returned to a browsing format they have been welcoming back many regular and new customers, which has been great for business. Recognised for their very neat and tidy appearance and excellent range of donated goods, this is fantastic news for the charity shops, but now they could really benefit from a boost of more donations to restock shelves. 
 
While many charities are unable to accept donations for various reasons, DAA are accepting them.  So those who have been meaning to sort out the summer wardrobe and are keen to do a bit for the local air ambulance - and for the planet by allowing your pre-loved items to be recycled and reused by a new owner - now would be an ideal time. 

Donors can drop donations in to any Devon Air Ambulance shop during opening hours and no longer need to book in a visit. Review the full list of items DAA can and cannot accept. 

Commitment to Covid-Safety 

Like many other retailers, although many of the protective rules and restrictions have been removed by the Government and have since become advisory, DAA has opted to uphold a commitment to Covid-Safety amid the following changes: 

• Opening hours have returned to normal and shops are now open from 9am - 5pm in all shops except the Plymouth, Armada Way shop which is open from 9:30am-5:30am. In addition, selected shops are also open on Sunday between 10am-4pm. 
• The number of people allowed to enter DAA shops is no longer restricted although social distancing floor markers remain in place to help when considering the space around you. 
• Hand hygiene and cleaning regimes are still extremely important - till screens remain in place along with hand sanitising stations for customer use. 
• Face coverings will continue to be worn by DAA staff and volunteers (unless exempt) and although no longer mandatory, customers are encouraged to continue to wear theirs. 

As a charitable emergency service whose specialist medical teams are ready to respond to the critically ill and injured across the county, it is vital that everyone does their utmost to support this life saving cause.  The charity is experiencing their busiest summer ever, tasked to 193 missions in June alone. We can all be considerate of the health and wellbeing of each other, minimise the risk of isolation and furthermore, minimise the risk of potential critical illness through the spread of Covid-19.

Learn more about Devon Air Ambulance or make a donation to help maintain their life-saving work at www.daat.org.