Charity shop managers value workshop with Clevedon Salerooms

Charity shop managers enjoyed a morning workshop with Clevedon Salerooms learning how to spot potential valuable donations.

Senior valuer Mark Fraser and auctioneer and valuer Toby Pinn shared their knowledge with 36 staff from St Peter's Hospice shops.

The shops raise in excess of £2 million each year.

There are nearly 50 shops within a 12 mile radius of Bristol including two branches at Clevedon and one at Nailsea and Portishead.

The salerooms valuers talked about silver, ceramics, glass and what to look out for among the thousands of items donated to the hospice shops every week.

 But nothing is likely to top the tatty bamboo pot donated to the Clevedon hospice shop in 2012 which was identified by Mr Fraser as a rare and important 300-year-old brush pot that was subsequently sold for £360,000 with every penny going to the hospice.

The shops are always in need of good quality donations including:

• Clothing;
• Homewares;
• Books, CDs and DVDs;
• Jewellery, bags and accessories; and
• New and old mobile phones.