A Maidstone jeweller has come up with one way to get rid of your unwanted Christmas presents - swap them for a gift card and donate them to charity.

Beaverbrooks, which has a store on Fremlin Walk is running a Charity Gift Swap Weekend, where residents can bring any unused gifts into the shop in exchange for a £10 gift card to spend in store.

From toys and books, to perfume and pyjamas, any unwanted items can be dropped off between Friday, January 3 to Sunday, January 5 and will be donated to a local charity.

Emma Stewart, store manager, said: “Many people receive gifts at Christmas, and while it’s the thought that counts, there are sometimes occasions where presents don’t hit the mark, whether it’s toiletries or that secret Santa present you never needed.

“More often than not, we’re given items that we wouldn’t normally buy for ourselves and come January, are left wondering what to do with them. Rather than letting all those unloved presents gather dust, or throwing them in the bin, we wanted to do something useful with them this year and donate them to a worthy cause, nominated by our team in store.

“We’re proud to be a much-loved high street jeweller, celebrating magical moments and bringing people together for 100 years so what better way to start 2020 off than giving back to the local community and a charity close to our hearts.”

The terms and conditions state that all items must be in their original condition and packaging. Perishable goods with sell by date of less than one month, pets and weapons will not be accepted. All clothing must be unworn with labels.

Gifts that will be accepted include sticker books, colouring books, craft activities, board games, puzzles, toys, soft toys, dolls, action men, Lego, CDs and DVDs, headphones, speakers, toiletries and accessories, clothing, pyjamas, socks, hat, scarves, gloves, mugs, bottles.

Items must be no bigger than 60cmx60cmx60cm, however this is at the discretion of the store manager.

One £10 Beaverbrooks Gift Card will be permitted per person and per household, regardless of number of unwanted gifts brought in.

As part of the company’s mission it donates 20 per cent of retained profits to charity and has this year donated over £1.422m.

To claim a £10 Beaverbrooks Gift Card, Maidstone locals will need to visit their local Beaverbrooks store and give their unwanted Christmas gift to a member of the store team.

To find out more about the Charity Gift Swap Weekend and what gifts are eligible click here.

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