People in Salford are being urged to shop to save lives, as the Cancer Research UK superstore re-opens after a devastating closure.

Three months on, staff and volunteers at the store on Regent Road Retail Park are now getting back to business to tackle a shortfall in funding, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With its shops typically contributing more than £25m every year to vital research, Cancer Research UK has suffered a dramatic loss of income since they were forced to close temporarily at the end of March.

Highlighting the scale of the funding gap, the call to support the Salford superstore coincides with the launch of an urgent new TV appeal to help get the charity’s life-saving work back on track.

Its customers are a key part of this effort, so strict measures are being followed to ensure people in the town can shop, volunteer and donate goods safely.

These include social distancing, hand sanitiser stations, cough guards at till points, face coverings and gloves for shop staff and volunteers and additional cleaning.

There is also a 72-hour quarantine period for donated items. However, before dropping off goods the superstore recommends to phoned ahead and check capacity on the day as the new safety measures mean that storage space may be limited.

Daniel Anders, who lives at Salford Quays, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2012. He had just finished training to be an events manager.

The 31-year-old, who lost his grandparents to cancer, underwent four courses of chemotherapy and two weeks of radiotherapy treatment.

He made a good recovery and became director of his own home care agency in Cheshire.

Daniel was given the all-clear in 2017 and was VIP guest of honour when the Salford superstore opened in 2018.

He said: “I understand all too clearly what a lack of funding could mean for the development of new treatments for people like myself.

“Research has given me more precious time with my family, so I hope people in Salford will be inspired by the charity’s determination to carry on beating cancer and show their support – they really could save lives.”

Jane Bullock, Cancer Research UK North West spokeswoman, said: “To save lives tomorrow, we need the public’s support today – so we want people to know we’re making every effort to create a safe shopping experience.

“COVID-19 has hit us hard and after three long months we’re delighted to be able to welcome new and familiar faces back through our doors again, as well as a host of new donations.

“Our shops and superstores are full of new and pre-loved items, fashion one-offs and homeware treasures – particularly after lockdown clear-outs. As well as being sold at bargain prices, every sale helps to fund our work. But right now, clinical trials are being postponed and we’re having to delay vital research.

“That’s why we’re asking our Salford customers to do what they can. Whether they shop, donate goods or volunteer their time – all are essential to help us keep making breakthroughs for people with cancer.”

Thanks to the generosity of its supporters Cancer Research UK currently funds around 50% of all cancer research in the UK.

However, as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, it expects to see its fundraising income decline by up to 30 per cent in the financial year ahead – putting this research at risk.

Jane added: “COVID-19 has slowed us down. But we will never stop. With around 41,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year in the North West, we are absolutely determined to continue creating better cancer treatments for the future.

“Every step our scientists take towards beating cancer relies on every pound raised. So, with the help of shoppers in Salford we believe that together we will still beat cancer.”

Cancer Research UK was able to spend around £30 million in the North West last year on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

For more information visit cruk.org/shops.