Donating clothes

I'm never sure about these bags we get through the letterbox cosafina. Sometimes we get several in one week! I think the donations you make are simply weighed in for cash. Someone other than the charity is usually making money from it. I prefer to take good quality clothes to actual charity shops.

I always phone the British Heart Foundation, who will come and collect the bags. They are always so grateful for all the donations and of course they are genuine.

www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/free-collection-of-clothes-books-and-more

DH takes ours to the local charity shop. I too am not sure about the bags that are posted through the door. To be honest I've never thought of ringing up for a collection - good idea!

Local Salvation Army used to take clothes to pass on to the needy.

Apart from scope who i think still collect from the doorstep on a prearranged day if you look at the small print on the bags there will usually be the name of a private company who promise to donate something to the charity. I dont use these as its unclear hos. Uch the charity bet, and usually take things direct ti the charity shop and often end up buying something there too.

How much the charity get ...typo

I too prefer to take items direct to the charity shop - I choose British Heart Foundation.

On the whole I am able to donate clothes and stuff myself but a few years ago I specifically wanted to donate to the Cat Protection League of which I am a member. I had around 10 black bags, many were books but there were some clothes. Somebody came to see me after work and together we piled the bags into her car and they would be able to sell them at their next fair.

I also take bags/boxes to the local charity shops, either the Heart Foundation or a local hospice. I never use the bags that come through the door as others have said they aren't trustworthy

I never use the bags that come through the door, regardless of which charity they are from. I take to my chosen local & national charity shops, some of which specialize in Retro/Vintage stuff. (I also give them properly bagged copper coinage.)

My dear best friend and fellow GNer had a bag full of donations taken from her step before the charity van arrived to pick it up, so that's another scam to be aware of.

I did once sort out a lot of things for an Age Concern charity collection when DMIL died. They didn't turn up and it rained heavily. I dried it all off and they agreed to collect it the next day and the same thing happened. Since then, we take our donations to the shops ourselves.

Exactly as I said silverlining there are companies making money on the back of these "charity bags" . much better to take then directly to a charity shop of your choice .

I take stuff directly to the charity shop. So it gets shared between cancer and heart. Money guest sent to children's charities. Both abroad and the UK

I always take mine direct to the charity shop of my choice - and usually end up taking another bag back home with me after I've looked around !

Read the bags. Some of them tell you how much they give per tonne of clothes.
AgeUK collect and get the lot. Air ambulance the same, but not the children's air ambulance which seems strange.

has anyone heard of Sals Shoes ? One of our local schools did an ened of term thing for this charity called toe to toe .When the time came to leave the classroom on the last day of term the children removed their shoes and sat them on their desks,they then walked barefoot out into the street.Apparently to try to understand how African children have to cope without shoes,the shoes on the desks were all donated for the African children .The school kids who took part were asked to bring other shoes to go home in and as most kids get new shoes at the start of term these donated shoes would likely have been thrown out.Didn't matter if they were scuffed or a bit worn all shoes were gladly accepted.I haven't heard of this before ,but it seems like a great idea.I like to get children involved in charities ,I think its good they see that not everyone is as fortunate as they are .

That sounds a brilliant idea, paddyann.
I think I'll tell my granddaughter about it, the only one who grows out of her shoes each year.

What a great idea. If I was still teaching, I would have suggested that.
It's not only in Africa, children need shoes. I once had to take some children in our school to Tesco to get them school shoes and boots. It was winter and they were wearing ankle socks and shoes with holes in them The manger was lovely, he gave me a discount on them.

If you pay tax, I know not all of us in that lucky position, some charities will gift aid your donation so increasing the value of what you have given.

Marydoll, I was once given a pair of my teacher's castoff shoes in front of the whole class.
I never wore them to school.
It isn't always appreciated.
They weren't wasted, by the way. My mother insisted my sister wore them.

The shoe scheme I first heard of about two years ago when the refugees were walking across Europe some of the schools round here did that which I thought was excellent
I personally collect for Syria and send a vanload off about every six to eight weeks, what's not useful for there goes to my local charity shop I never use the bags through the door as so many are a con and come to think of it I haven't had one through the door for at least six months now perhaps they are waning

Two last week, BlueBelle.
Perhaps they go in areas. They must realise that there is a saturation point in any one area.

I've never been sure that it's a good idea to pass on used shoes - never did it with my children. There are a few foot infections which could spread, and you can't wash all shoes.
But I suppose desperate people will appreciate them.
I donate used clothes to a charity here which has depots at many supermarkets, then they're sorted and passed on to needy people

I was once told that you can put shoes in the recycling bins even if they are not wearable as the parts are recycled. Anybody know if this is true?