Quality donations only, insist charity shops

CHARITY shops are asking customers to check with them before donating as they fear they could be overwhelmed.

Cancer Research UK, Oxfam and Sue Ryder are among the charities encouraging those keen to drop off unwanted items to phone their nearest shop instead of turning up unannounced with bags of goods. They are concerned there could be an influx of people who have been decluttering their homes during lockdown and the volume of donations will be unmanageable – particularly if left piled up in doorways.

Some charities are requesting that the items dropped off are of “good quality” so they do not end up accumulating in the store or needing to be recycled.

Josephine Mewett, head of retail operations at Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re hoping our supporters have used any spare time during lockdown to declutter and set aside quality items for us. We’re encouraging people to call their local shop to arrange a convenient drop off time for donations.

“We have a team of drivers on hand to help any shops that might experience a particularly high volume of donations. We do ask people not to leave donations outside our shops if they’re shut since the items could be damaged, stolen or pose a trip hazard.”

Oxfam said some shops might need to limit donations if they were initially overwhelmed. Customers are being encouraged to ring shops to check they are accepting donations.

Tom Richardson, Oxfam’s head of retail operations, said: “People may have spent time during lockdown decluttering, so our team of dedicated volunteers are looking forward to accepting generous donations. As always, we are looking for things like good quality, clean clothing, books and homeware.”

Sue Ryder said they were expecting a large influx of donations, so would enforce a drop-off ban at some shops.

Nick Smith, head of retail at Age UK, said that if some shops became overwhelmed by donations, the items would be transferred to another branch. “All customers are welcome to call their nearest shop if they have any questions or concerns about donating items before making a visit,” he said.

The British Heart Foundation is offering free, Covid-safe home collections for larger donations.