Think Before You Donate: Wimborne Charity Shops Urge People to Give Responsibly

With spring wardrobe and home clear-outs underway, an appeal by local charity shops, supported by Wimborne BID, is urging people to be more selective about what they give.

Alison Maidment, Manager of DEBRA in Wimborne’s Crown Mead precinct, says donations are vital to the charity, which supports people living with the rare genetic skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). However, she says an increasing volume of items cannot be sold.

“We’re hugely grateful for the generosity of the community but some of the donations we receive are simply unsaleable,” she explained. “We regularly find items that are damaged, unsafe or unhygienic. That creates extra work and cost for charities that are already under pressure.”

She cites examples of broken plastic toys with disintegrating batteries inside, shoes with holes, a roasting tin still containing congealed fat and even soiled underwear have been donated! 

Staff across Wimborne’s charity shops report similar experiences, with donations sometimes including broken household items that are clearly no longer usable. One shop even suggested they may create an ’unsellable’ window display to help illustrate the difference between donations and dumping.

Fly-tipping remains a serious concern, with bags frequently left outside shop doors or placed in waste areas. This practice is illegal and means charities must pay to dispose of rubbish themselves. It can also pose safety risks, blocking fire exits or spilling onto pavements after being disturbed overnight.

Wimborne BID has raised these concerns with Dorset Council, which confirmed that paid waste collection services are available to charity shops. The council also offers a limited concessionary voucher scheme for waste resulting from unsaleable donations, although charities must transport materials to designated sites in Blandford, Bridport or Sherborne themselves.

Despite the challenges, charity shops stress that positive donations far outweigh the problems. Sue Phillips, Assistant Manager at DEBRA, said: “We’re incredibly thankful for the donations we can sell. Unwanted gifts are ideal, and sometimes we receive brand-new items still with the labels on. We simply ask people to pause and think – would I pay for this?”

Avril Alborough, Manager of breast cancer charity shop Going for Bust on Wimborne High Street, added: “We’re very lucky to have wonderful supporters who donate high-quality items season after season. Thoughtful donations make an enormous difference.”

Top Tips for Donating to Charity Shops

• Separate clothing donations – fabric items may be sold as recycled rags, helping charities generate additional income
• Never leave donations outside shops – this is fly-tipping and illegal
• Call ahead – shops may temporarily pause donations or restrict certain items for good operational reasons
• Recycle unsaleable items responsibly at your local recycling centre
• Avoid ‘guilt-dumping’ – passing on waste creates cost, not value, for charities

Wimborne BID manager Tammy Sleet said: “By making thoughtful choices, people can help ensure donations truly support the causes they care about – saving hard-working charities time, money and energy so they can focus on the people who need them most.”