Donations to Mind - Charity Shop

ldnflyer

Why do people keep on leaving donations on a Sunday when the shop is closed? <div>And what kind of low life goes through donations to a mental health charity and throws them all over the place ?</div><div><br></div><div>Common sense people come on! </div>

miss annie

This has been widely discussed on another thread. The onky answer is...People are idiots.

ldnflyer

Link ? 

miss annie

No, not from my ancient iPhone but you'll find it if you search for charity shop or Mind in the search bar.

Ali

<P>seems to have it's problems</P> <P> </P> <P><A href="http://www.hamhighbroadway.co.uk/news/crime-court/heartless_thieves_target_stroud_green_charity_shop_for_second_time_in_four_months_1_2370055">http://www.hamhighbroadway.co.uk/news/crime-court/heartless_thieves_target_stroud_green_charity_shop_for_second_time_in_four_months_1_2370055</A></P>; <P><A href="http://www.stroudgreen.org/discussion/3539/theft-outside-of-charity-shops/p1">http://www.stroudgreen.org/discussion/3539/theft-outside-of-charity-shops/p1</A></P>;

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andy

£10 for a bin bag. Seriously? The bulk of it must be going to rag, and that's more like £2/bag. Where are these mythical cash for clothes shops? We could make a killing buying by the tonne and selling by the bag.

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vetski

There was one on Weston Park, a couple of doors from Nest - though it didn't seem to be open when I was up there last, about a month ago. Am going to Nest later this week, will have a look then. I think the clothes are sold in Central/Eastern Europe rather than turned into rags.

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Peter Crumb

Sorry two very respectable looking ladies doing just this on Sunday. Had a good look through everything left. Complete scum.

kreuzkav

The last time I brought books up to Mind they insisted I fill out a form about some sort of donation.  I haven't since.  I tried to donate an old desk to the Mencap shop by Porchetta and they told me it would take two or more weeks to shift it 100 metres from my flat.  I don't bother anymore.  

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kreuzkav

Yes, that was the form but they kept insisting I fill it in, there and then.  I just wanted to donate without bureaucracy. 

miss annie

It takes about half a minute and means they can claim tax back.

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Papa

Problem is people need to get rid of their stuff, they do the clear out at the weekend when they aren't at work, then they can't take it to the charity shop because it is shut on a Sunday and they don't want to hold on to it for another week.<br><br>When that happens to me, I don't leave it outside, I hold on to it with the aim of getting there the next Saturday but have a bag sat in the flat for weeks.<br><br>Only way to stop people doing it, is to have some way of donating it on a Sunday.<br><br>Alternatively, you could stick a clothes rail up on the street and just let people hang their clothes up to freecycle it.<br>

gardener-joe

...

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miss annie

That's Big Green Bookshop isn't it?

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quince

At the risk of sounding appallingly mean, I feel that some charity shops simply charge too much for the books they sell, with low stock turnover being the result.  Hence books being accepted for which there is no shelf space and no prospect of anyone buying them.  

Detritus

Misscara did they have the dodgy 1970's facial hair?

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markpack

@gardener-joe Ah, perhaps that's why the last few times I've taken stuff to them (including books) the body language has been fairly unwelcoming (and the spoken words not much cheerier!). First time I assumed I'd just caught a busy volunteer at a bad moment, but when it happened a few times in a row it seems like they didn't really want the stuff I was giving.<div><br></div><div>Is there another nearby charity shop that finds books etc. more useful?</div>

miss annie

Depends what they are. No one wants popular fiction paperbacks, it's impossible even to sell them at car boots now. Hospital shops are sometimes the exception. Decent hardbacks or niche/cult paperbacks - Oxfam Books & Music.

ADGS

It would be helpful if charity shops amended their WE NEED STOCK posters to include this sort of information - save time and awkwardness for the public and volunteers alike.

marie

@markpark, we have had exactly the same experience the last 2 times we brought things there (items of clothing in perfect conditions, dvds, dvd readers, etc. not just books.) We are obviously not looking for thank yous when bringing things at the charity shop, but a smile wouldn't hurt anyone.<div>Maybe people drop their stuff outside the shop not to have to talk to the unpleasant staff?</div>

conformable_kate

I've been in the Mind shop when the man behind the counter has been being very nasty to a customer. Admittedly a trying and irritating customer, but sounded like one with his own mental health issues, and if you the Mind shop of all places can't cope with this, well ... He is also grumpy about children (as well as not keen on adults). He has actually put me off going in there - used to be a regular haunt. Not unpleasant staff overall in my experience, but one definitely unpleasant bloke.

miss annie

Our WI committee meeting was in the Stapleton tonight and the manager (Danny) told us that he's planning to let people drop donations for Mind there on a Sunday. They are fed up with seeing the aftermath of people rifling through the stuff when they leave work on a Sunday night. Not sure when they plan to start this but it's a jolly good idea.

miss annie

Has anyone actually talked to Mind about the customer service? As the staff will be regular folk who have volunteered a few hours a week I don't suppose they will have had training on how to deal with people with mental health issues..