A hospice has signed up a new gift card that can only be used in charity shops.

Hospiscare South West has joined the Charity Shop Gift Card scheme, which will be sold and accepted in the organisation's 18 shops.

The card has been developed by Gift Card CIC, a social enterprise, and backed by the Charity Retail Association (CRA) and can be redeemed at the retail stores of participating members.

The scheme aims to support the growing second-hand revolution, which is being led by the environmentally-aware Gen Z and Millennials, helping reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

The single-load gift cards themselves will be recyclable and compostable and will be on sale to consumers in all Hospiscare’s shops, online and through supermarkets and other major retailers next year.

Helen Hutter, head of retail for Hospiscare South West, said it was an exciting step for the charity.

“We are excited to introduce the Charity Shop Gift Card into our shops across Exeter, Mid and East Devon in time for the festive season," she said.

"We hope that it will encourage more people in our community to visit our shops and be part of a greener way of shopping, as well as supporting our vital end-of-life care service.”

Exmouth Journal: The gift card will be available next yearThe gift card will be available next year (Image: Charity Shop Gift Card)

Lee Fellows, managing director of The Charity Shop Gift Card CIC, said the scheme was a first for the charity shop sector.

“The gift card market is huge and growing, and central to our aim is to come up with a nationally-accepted, multi-retailer scheme that allows charity shops to tap into that for the first time,” he added.

Hospiscare supports people with life-limiting illness in the Exeter, Mid and East Devon areas.

Services include support at home, a specialist palliative care ward, out-patients clinics, and supportive therapies.

The charity supports more than 2,000 people each year and needs to raise around £8 million each year to continue to provide that care.

Hospiscare has shops across Exeter and East Devon, including in Exmouth, Honiton, Seaton, Budleigh Salterton and Ottery St Mary.

For more information on the card, log on to www.thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk.