General Chat

I don't want to upset anybody but wanted your opinions. I'm sure there are good people out there that give their time willingly to charity, but something upset me a bit yesterday, so I thought I'd share it, see what you all think.

I dropped some clothes off to a local charity shop on Tuesday morning and yesterday took in a few more bits that I'd found.

When I walked in the lady working on the tills was wearing one of my tops, she saw me looking and said, oh do you like this, it's nice isn't it, (too small for me now) so I said yes, it's very nice, she said in a low voice, someone brought it in yesterday and we always have first pickings, before they go into the shop. I said oh how much did you pay for it then and she said oh we don't pay, it's one of the perks of the job..............

I was that gobsmacked, I didn't say anything, I just walked out.

I thought charity shops sold this stuff for charity, not for themselves, now am I being trivial or does this happen everywhere.

Barbara

Barbara, am complexed ... surely this cannot be the norm. I would understand perhaps if they got first choice and paid, yet the whole idea is to raise money for charity.

I rather feel I would be writing a polite yet firm letter to the Head Office of this charity stating how disappointed I was.

I do not judge yet I do know right from wrong and this to me is not right.

Such a shame as you were doing something so kind for those in need.

xxx

I wouldn't mind at all that staff had first pickings, but would be outraged if they didn't pay the going rate for items they chose.
I know many of the staff in some shops are volunteers, but I still think they should pay for their goods.

Gwyn

I have to say Barbara, that I agree with your sentiments !!


Rather defeats the object doesn't it if the staff are plundering the donations for free?? who's to say how much stuff does not get sold for the charity but goes straight to the staff...........


Have you contacted the Charity itself to check if this is legitimately the case ????


I regularly fill charity bags that come through my door no matter how little i give - if i have an unwanted item that i consider too good to throw away i will always pass it on to someone somehow.

I often send stuff to charity shops, sometimes things I've hardly worn and now I don't feel like doing it anymore, but if this is normal, I'd like to know.

If these people are volunteers is it wrong they take stuff for themselves, I don't know.

xx

Barbara, that's disgusting. First pickings may be a perk, fair enough, but they should make a donation for sure!!

Personally I think I would write and complain to the manager/md of whatever charity it was you gave your things to:)

Yes it is wrong.
Your donation was to benefit the charity, ...not them.

Gwyn

Just Googled it Barb, found this, scroll down and you'll read of a similar situation, then the answers ...

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ReturnPage=Active&ForumID=2&TopicID=169398&PagePosition=7&ThreadPage=3&showActive=7

Thanks Shimms will have a look soon, and I think I may ponder on this a while and see what others think about it.

xx

I totally agree with you Barbara.
I hope this isn't the norm though and it should be stopped.
I also give to Charity Shops and would hate to think that the staff had their pick of goods unpaid for before the General Public do. I read the link Shimms put on here and I must agree to my way of thinking it is stealing.

I would do what someone else suggested and write a letter to the Head Office of that particular Charity and state how unhappy you are about it all. Tell them exactly what you told us. It could be possible the lady who had your top on is not telling the truth. If she is then don't donate to them again and maybe check with other charities first before you donate again.
I certainly will from now on. Thank you for letting us know that this goes on.
Regards
Jackie

Barabra,

I give my unwanted clothes to the Salvation Army, at least they go to good homes.
Have you got a Salvation Army crate in any of your car parks or shopping complexes ?

As for the house hold things I do give them to the Charity shops.
I wouldn't worry about them,as I would have been sick and tired of them
anyway !!
But had I had your experience I think I would be writing off to head office too !!

WRITE TO HEAD OFFICE.

It's the charity that is missing funds. People give in good faith expecting that their items will be sold, if not will be donated in bulk overseas.

This woman is stealing from the charity.

As for 'a perk of the job' that holds no water at all. By all means take the pick of the new items but pay the usual ticket price.

That's made me mad!

Sue x

I can tell you an even more worse story about a person I know whose sister worked at a charity shop.
She was giving her brother stuff to sell at Car Boot Sales.

I will certainly not take anything into there again, and in future will think twice about where I take my stuff.

I am a bit reluctant to write a letter, may give it some thought, it is the fact they are volunteers and even though it is stealing, it would be very difficult to prove, wouldn't it.

Also our local Oxfam has been told it is shutting because its not making enough profit

Maybe we have all been a bit naive then, in view of what Darklord has just said, I think it must go on more than we think.

I'm quite shocked you know.

it's wrong and discusting.
ive had people leave bags on my door step for clothes etc yes they did have a charity number on. but when i checked it out,and there was no such charity number.
xxxx

Hi Babara,

One of mine has worked in charity shops and got disillusioned. On one occasion he was sifting through old coins and realised one of them was a King Edward threepenny piece. As Edward abdicated there were not many made, which made it very valuable. He told the manager and was told to put it in the safe. The next day when my son went to look at it it had disappeared. This tended to happen to anything worth anything so he realised that charity began with the workforce/manager and refused to work there any more. He did report it but unfortunately nothing was done.

But who suffers the most if this goes on a lot, the poor people who need help as usual, I wish I'd had to guts to tell her what I thought, I am such a coward.

BRB have to do some (choke) work.

Hi Susan

Hope you're well now

I know if I complain, there's a good chance it will be ignored and I don't know who this person is, it's a scandal whichever way you look at it, and obviously a lot more common than we first thought. I think the term charity begin's at home is normal to some people, but surely not all?

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