DORSET charity Julia's House is preparing to reopen the remainder of its shops from this week.

The children's hospice charity’s flagship superstore in Creekmoor, Poole was the first to throw open its doors following the easing of lockdown.

It will be followed by Broadstone (July 3), Weymouth (July 6), Shaftesbury, Christchurch and Poole (July 7) and Wallisdown, Wimborne, Bransgore and Dorchester (July 8). Opening hours for all shops will be 10am-4pm, Monday to Saturday.

Safety measures in line with current government guidance have been put in place, including strict cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures. A Covid-19 risk assessment is available to view in each shop and online, and the charity has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that 2m social distancing is in place throughout.

Julia’s House Retail Manager Tracy Stanley said: “There will also be some changes to our donations policy. If you would like to make a donation we ask that you drop it off at the shop before we open between 9am and 10am only. We will only be able to take four bags of donations at a time per person, as many of our shops only have small stock rooms and each bag has to stand for 72 hours before we can unpack it. All these changes are in place so that we can provide a safe and stress-free shopping experience for our customers, donors, staff and volunteers."

Julia’s House has continued to support local children with life-limiting conditions and their families throughout the coronavirus crisis, adapting its care on a day-to-day basis to support the most vulnerable people in the community and easing the pressure on local health services.