A discount retailer chain which was forced to close all 26 of its stores because of the coronavirus crisis is donating stock to non-profit groups.

Eastern Daily Press: Stock from QD donated to local non-profit groups. Photo: Quality DiscountsStock from QD donated to local non-profit groups. Photo: Quality Discounts (Image: Archant)

QD, which has branches across Norfolk and Suffolk, announced at the end of March it would have to close all of its stores “with a heavy heart”.

They said the wellbeing of their staff and customers was more important than anything else, so temporarily closed all their stores.

Not letting stock go to waste, local branches of QD stores and Cheery Lane garden centres (owned and operated by the same company) have been donating “huge amounts” of food, pet food and plants to local causes.

READ MORE: Value retailer selling essential items closes all stores ‘with heavy heart’The stores have distributed items to worthy causes from food banks to schools, community groups, charities, care homes and the emergency services, with each individual store team choosing their local recipients.

Eastern Daily Press: QD in North Walsham makes a donation. Pic: submittedQD in North Walsham makes a donation. Pic: submitted (Image: Archant)

QD has stores in Norwich, Cromer, North Walsham, Dereham, King’s Lynn, Gorleston and Yarmouth.

In Great Yarmouth, staff chose the Great Yarmouth & Gorleston Allotments Association and Great Yarmouth Borough Council to receive stock.

The chain announced earlier this month its North Walsham staff chose the local community food bank and in Diss, the Waveney Food Bank and in Norwich, Action for Children.

Staff at QD in Beccles and Cherry Lane Early Dawn in Carlton Colville have now announced they have donated to St Luke’s Church in Beccles, who received a range of plants and food items.

A church spokesman gave “a huge thank you to the team at QD” for donating to their food bank.

READ MORE: QD boss talks of ‘heartbreak’ of closing stores and donates food to charityQD group operations director, Karl Ottolangui, said: “It has been heart-breaking to close our doors and the last few weeks have been really tough for all our teams, trying to serve their local communities with essential products. It has been a very emotional time for staff in all our stores and garden centres.

“They have all been absolutely amazing and have all worked tirelessly to donate whatever we can to those in need. The whole exercise has gone incredibly well. The store teams are absolutely exhausted, but it has given us some happiness that we were able do some good for our local communities in this very difficult time, on our final day until we can reopen.”