Store reopenings much welcomed in Britain's stretched charity sector

An employee cleans around the till protected by a 'sneeze screen' as a measure against the spread of Covid-19 at a British Red Cross charity shop in London. Photos: AFP

Bargain hunters have returned to Britain's beloved charity shops since they began reopening following lockdown but busy tills alone will struggle to repair the damage done by the coronavirus pandemic.

The country's charitable sector, worth billions of pounds, has seen its revenues collapse in the roughly three months since the virus prompted the unprecedented restrictions.