Christmas Clutter Can Be Turned Into Cash With Daisy Appeal

One of the region’s leading charities is hoping to raise funds from a series of festive giveaways as it launches its first virtual charity shop.

The Daisy Appeal’s ebay outlet, launched in 2022, gives supporters an easy way to raise money and dispose of unwanted items. Claire Levy, Fundraiser for the Daisy Appeal, said the eBay outlet has been very successful.

With the tinsel and trees down, people will also begin a post-Christmas clean-out of unwanted gifts and old items that have been replaced.

Claire said: “We have received a considerable amount of money using Amazon Smile over the last three or four years and during 2022 we developed our online presence further with ebay.

“The site allows people to donate up to 100 per cent of whatever they receive from their sales, or they can just give the items to us and we’ll sell them. It’s quicker than going into a charity shop!”

Daisy Appeal – known on ebay as Hull and East Yorkshire Medical Research Centre – is currently raising £8.8 million to build and fit out a Molecular Imaging Research Centre (MIRC), which will transform detection techniques for serious medical conditions like cancer, heart disease and dementia.

Claire said: “It’s easy to use and I’ve sold all sorts of stuff – things that businesses find in their back rooms, things that people dig out at home. Shoes, wedding dresses, bits of cutlery, photo frames.

It’s the same sort of thing you find when you walk into any charity shop and it’s very straightforward. People can pay as much as they like and they can just make donations if they want – it all helps.”

As a fundraiser, Claire has worked for the Daisy Appeal since 2018 and has a marketing background. Having worked with the Hull-based agency Design Workshop on the online presence, she has experience in traditional fundraising events.

Claire said: “More traditional fundraisers include bequests and collections and we get support from people who get a lot of fun by running events in pubs, shops, work and schools.

“But as many activities fell victim to the pandemic we increased our online activities, encouraging people to take part in Facebook fundraisers. Rather than give presents at Christmas they can set themselves a target and a challenge. We are always happy to work with people on ideas to help them raise money.

“The online presence has enabled us to attract donations from far and wide, with challenges being organised at the other end of the country by people who are from the Humber area, or whose relatives here have benefited from the services funded by the Daisy Appeal.

“But although we operate across the country we are not a faceless national charity. We work hard to build good relationships and to show people where their money is going and what it’s doing.

“We introduced our own range of merchandise during 2022 including t-shirts, running vests, bags, bottles and more and we can show that 96p in the pound goes to charity because we keep our overheads under control.

“We don’t have a lot of staff or posh offices that need a lot of money. We are a local charity which is benefiting people from our area – it’s world-beating and local benefiting.”

To contact Claire for help with organising donations or events please email claire@daisyappeal.org