Books for Amnesty

About Books for Amnesty

Books for Amnesty is a second-hand bookshop at unit 5, Charlotte House, on Westgate Road, roughly four minutes' walk from Newcastle Central Station and six from the bus station. It is staffed entirely by volunteers and has been serving the city centre for over a decade, with all proceeds going to Amnesty International UK. The shelves are stronger than the usual charity-shop mix, with particular depth in non-fiction, history, politics and creative writing, alongside contemporary fiction and a steady turnover of quality pre-owned stock. A smaller selection of new books, ethically sourced gifts and greetings cards fills out the offer, and prices are kept low enough that browsing usually ends in buying something.

Because the stock depends on donations, the range changes constantly, which is the appeal for regulars who call in every few weeks to see what has come through. The shop floor is on street level and wheelchair accessible, though there is no parking immediately outside, so it is best approached on foot as part of a walk along Westgate Road towards Grainger Town. It also functions as a quiet space in a busy part of the city, and volunteers are happy to talk about books or about Amnesty's work. Opening is Monday to Saturday through the day, with shorter hours on Sundays.

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