Charity shop workers and volunteers in the local area are kindly urging people who make donations to think carefully before submitting their unwanted items.

Charity shops receive a huge number of donations which require many hands to be sorted through, but unfortunately up to 80% of these can not be sold on the shop floor as they are broken or damaged in some way and thus unsuitable for purchase, meaning they can then only be recycled or disposed of.

The manager of a charity shop in Tavistock emphasised the implications of disposing of stock which could not be recycled: ‘Most people are very understanding but I don’t think some people realise the money involved in disposal could be spent on patients and nurses which means we can’t be as productive. When you look at something, ask yourself, would you buy this? If you wouldn’t buy something due to its condition, please don’t donate it.’

An Oxfam store volunteer in Tavistock said: ‘Whilst donations are very welcome and necessary, I am always amazed at the amount of unsellable goods that come in each day. Clothes that are ripped, stained, dirty and smelly or have pieces missing cannot be put out onto the shop floor for sale. Neither can dirty bed linens, tea towels and the like. Crockery, glass and ornaments that are chipped, toys and jigsaws that have pieces missing, shoes that are down at the heel and scuffed, trainers covered in mud all have to be discarded. Any clothes and fabrics collected are taken to recycling units. Each shop has to pay a hefty price to have these bags removed which really defeats the object of trying to make as much money for charity as possible. We are so grateful for clean, reusable items but please please don’t treat charity shops as a dumping ground.’

A significant proportion of staff and volunteers’ time is spent sorting through and organising donations received. Robert Maltby, head of communications and marketing at St Luke’s Hospice, said: ‘Charity shops don’t have any repair systems so damaged property can’t be fixed and therefore sold. We ask people to think before they donate something otherwise it costs to dispose of things. Furthermore, this time and money could be spent on staff wages and providing services. Our objective is to provide the best possible care we can to patients with a terminal diagnosis.’

Whilst donations in Tavistock have been manageable, those further afield have been harder to deal with. During the first lockdown of 2020, St Luke’s Hospice in Plymouth received the equivalent of six months worth of donations in just two weeks, which quickly led to restrictions being implemented. As lockdowns have lifted and life has returned to normal, donation limits can still be imposed by charity shops in the local area for health and safety reasons.

Charity shops have also urged people not to leave donation bags in their doorways as they are exposed to all weathers and passersby can help themselves to the contents. This act also constitutes fly tipping, which is illegal under s33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.