First charity shop experience

[Skippy]

I used to go in charity shops quite a lot before we moved offices but now I don't work in a town I don't as much. Also where we were before was close to an affluent area!

I'm quite choosy about which charity shops I go in as well - it has to be a charity that I support.

[kallis3]

I don't work near a town either, so don't go in as often as I could. I only use ones from charities that I support as well.

I do get fed up of getting the bags through the door all the time - we can get five or six a week sometimes. I tend to take my donations to the shops myself and I never give to those companies who send the clothes to third world countries and then sell them.

[Skippy]

Don't get me started on those stupid bags! I don't know how many clothes they think I've got, but they're not having any! Anything I don't want either goes on Ebay or to the charity shop.

I keep meaning to put a notice on the door saying not to bother putting them through the letter box!

[Julie]

I have to admit, I love those bags! I use them for my rubbish [:I]

[Skippy]

That's all we use them for Julie!

[Shining]

Once back in 1987 my friend had a house fire and sadly her little boy (2) died, her elder boy survived, the house burnt right out, Mum was obviously too distraught to take the 6 year old to get any clothes and we couldn't ask her for money and all he had was his pyjamas on. I carried him into town bought him some plimsolls and then went around the charity shops to get him clothes, most of them a couple of quid in each as we hardly had any cash. Sue Ryder shop in our local town said, take anything ...no payment, how charitable was that? Anything I donate goes to them now for definite and they clothed Mum, Dad and Robert all free of charge.

[kallis3]

What a tragic story Lesley, but a lovely gesture from the charity.

[Shining]

It was an awful time Jan but I was there to support Mum and Dad. I then became Godmother to a little girl they had a few years later x

[kallis3]

I can imagine it would be. I remember one of our neigbhours having stillborn child some years ago, awful time. She went on to have twins.

[Julie]

That really is a case of charity at its best Lesley..

Daughter's partner works for help the aged, I always support them.

[Jan01]

Localy we have Demelza House Charity Shop a children's hospice, and local people suport it well so often the shop has some good things. I get cross locally with another national charity who have a furniture and electrical goods store and charge the esrth for things. I know that electrical good have to be checked and soft furniture needs to be cleaned but every thing is donated. I think they even charge to pick up donated goods. I think this is so wrong as a lot of people shop in charity shops due to need. We looked in there with my grandson as they had to furnish their first flat they couldn't afford to buy things in there £300 for a 2nd had suite, £150 for a cooker, they ended up looking in the free adds.and one person who they brought the suite from delivered it for them and helped carry it up 4 flights of stairs with no extra charge.

Jan

[kallis3]

I tend to donate to BHF, Age Concern (which I think is twinned with Help the Aged) Guides for the Blind and some of the local hospices.

Charity wise I always support the RNLI - I know I'm landlocked but I do so admire the work the do. Air ambulance is another one.

[Skippy]

With charity shops I only tend to go to BHF, Cancer Research, Cats Protection and Princess Alice Hospice.

Other charities I support are MS Society, MacMillan, Help for Heroes, Guide Dogs (I sponsor a little puppy called Otis) and Hounslow Animal Welfare Society (the charity that Harry came from).

We have dress down Friday at work and if you want to take part you have to pay £2 a month. I'm responsible for collecting the money and sending it to charity and I always try and do local ones.

[Shining]

We have dress down Mondays and pay 50p per week to wear jeans or whatever we want, there's two of us that do it!

[Skippy]

It's a nightmare getting the money from some people - I think I'm going to get tough and tell them that if they don't pay they can wear their normal office clothes!