Donating Etiquette

We are excited to receive your preloved treasures and are always grateful for your generosity.

Here’s how you can help us when donating goods:

• Check it’s clean… please if necessary put clothing and textiles through the washing machine, and wipe or wash bric a brac and household goods.
• Don’t overfill bags or boxes, spread the weight of heavy items; if you struggle to lift it we will struggle too!
• Don’t pack donations into containers that you want back.
• Don’t put sharp or fragile items inside bags of clothing; wrap them in eg newspaper and pack them separately.
• Have a think about what we are able to sell and what people would want to buy. Ask yourself: “is this item clean, complete and in good condition?”, if electrical/mechanical then “is it in full working order?” and generally “would I or someone I know be happy to buy this?”.
• If you have large or bulky donations, call the shop on 01297 598250 when your items are ready, to check the best time to come.
• Stagger your donations if at all possible. Rather than bringing everything at once, bring just 1-2 bags at a time.
• Never leave donations outside our shops. They are very likely to get damaged, lost or stolen.

We have a legal duty to ensure that the goods we sell are safe, of an
acceptable standard and fit for purpose. We are unable to accept some items due to health & safety regulations, legal or other reasons.

These include:

• Gas appliances – either mains or gas bottles
• Electrical items not in full working order
• Weapons eg swords, crossbows, guns (including replicas unless obviously
  toys), ammunition
• Fireworks
• Buoyancy aids, lifejackets, inflatable dinghies
• Safety helmets, unless brand new with instructions
• Climbing equipment
• Disability equipment eg wheelchairs, walking frames, commodes, crutches, bath seats
• Upholstered furniture including cushions without a fire label
• Toys without a CE safety label attached
• Children’s car seats
• Duvets, sleeping bags and pillows, unless brand new in original packaging
• Paint, thinners, solvents, chemicals etc
• Ladders
• Ceiling and wall lights without full wiring instructions
• Roller skates and inline skates
• Prescription spectacles and medicines
• Alcohol
• Unboxed unassembled flat-pack furniture
• Broken/cracked/chipped cookware, glassware, crockery etc
  Plastic coat hangers
• Video tapes
• Poor condition (scratched etc) vinyl records, DVDs and CDs
• Printers, unless brand new in original packaging
• Large items of furniture & white-goods

Small items of furniture may occasionally be accepted (depending on space at the time); always check with manager.