Five reasons to avoid the Black Friday hype and visit your local charity shops this week Friday 25th November will be marked in many people’s calendars for a number of reasons: one month to go until Christmas Day, England take on the United States at the FIFA World Cup, and of course – Black Friday 2022. Originally an American concept, the Black Friday hype found its way to the United Kingdom in 2010 and has grown to the mega-monster that we know it as today. Indeed, every major retailer usually joins in with the Black Friday theme, ‘slashing’ prices and giving customers ‘not-to-be-missed’ deals on items they often never knew they needed in the first place. However, at a time when the cost of living crisis only continues to grow, and the financial pressures of everyday life spark the ‘heating or eating’ debate once again – is a ‘flash sale’ really the best way to look after the British public? At Wakefield Hospice, we take great pride in offering quality products across our six charity shops located in Ossett, Horbury and Wakefield, plus online via our eBay store. Below we highlight FIVE reasons why you should consider ditching the Black Friday fad, and instead head to your local charity shop this week: Low costs all year round… Unlike a ‘one-day sale extravaganza’, the products purchased from our charity shops are set at reasonable prices all year round. Our hard-working Donation Warehouse team take great pride in sorting through goods – kindly donated by our local community - ensuring the best products are sent out to our shops and meaning the preloved goods you are purchasing are going to be great quality, and good for the pocket too. See where your money is going… When you make a purchase from a global organization, do you know where your money is going? When making a purchase at one of our charity shops or through our eBay store, you can see exactly where your money is going – back into the charity to enable us to continue caring for local patients and their families. Sustainability… The Climate Crisis remains a huge issue for the whole world, and one easy way to lower your own Carbon Footprint is to swap the online sales for some in-store charity shop transactions. Reducing shipping miles, removing the need for plastic packaging and giving preloved products a new lease of life are all great benefits to be found. You never know what you will find… Discover your own hidden treasure across our retail network, both in store or on our eBay store. From clothing to crockery, electronics to gaming, there is something for everyone – why not swap the Black Friday sales for the charity shop rails in 2022? Supporting your local community… Last but not least, a reminder that by shopping in a Wakefield Hospice charity shop, you are helping us to continue providing care for local patients and their families all year round. We couldn’t do what we do without you. If you plan to swap the Black Friday sales for some ethical charity shop-shopping in 2022, you can find the full list of our shops with locations and opening hours by clicking here.