Can I refuse a work leaving gift?

if the gift is something like gift vouchers and you don’t want them, you can donate them to a local charity ( like your local hospice ) who can use them for a raffle prize.

This is the only correct answer to your question, OP.

Do you really need a dramatic “mic drop” moment?

Accept it graciously, and move on.

Having moved teams several times within large companies nobody ever made a fuss unless it was a new location.

Anyway OP as PP said any rejection will only make you look like a massive twat. You don't have to gush over the gift. Just say thanks like a normal person then bin/donate/whatever.

I was once given a ridiculously large bunch of flowers leaving a job that I felt the dislike was mutual and the flowers felt tick boxes rather than genuine appreciation (and I knew were in company card rather than a whip around) was also annoying as I was going straight out from work and lumbered with a bouquet the size of small Christmas tree. In first pub some bloke asked me if he could buy them off me for £50 to give his wife as she’d be annoyed at him coming home worse for ware. Happily obliged. Everyone a winner

I start the new job on Monday and if there is a card/gift suspect the manager will use this opportunity to build their profile

How would giving you your leaving gift on the first day of your new job do this?

Don't bin. Give it to charity if it's non-perishable. If it's something like chocolates you could always put them out to share with your new team which would create a good impression. If it's wine or flowers, regift to a friend.

I don't understand - it gave you a breakdown but you look back on it "fondly" ?

I can understand the general disillusionment you feel but take the gift some people will have contributed for all the right reasons.

100% accept the gift graciously- then smash it to bits when you get home.

Concentrate on looking forward, don’t let the bastards tarnish anything in you future.

if you really dont want it, donate it to charity

I had one job where I was miserable - treated unfairly by my boss - not given adequate work and snapped at whenever I approached his desk.

I submitted a complaint and left. He did a whipround and I 'graciously' accepted the voucher.

Bought a new doormat with it. Still gives me a tiny bit of pleasure whenever I step on it.

You are not wrong to feel like you. The thing is that they realise how good you are what you do, despite them. Unfortunately they are wrapped up in themselves and it probably hasn’t occurred to them how it looks. Or else they don’t care, people leave all the-time.
None of it is a reflection on you. I can imagine how hurt you must feel.
In the grand scheme of things you are moving to a new role and they may it hard to replace you with someone as dedicated and diligent.
My sister had to arrange all the leaver cards and presents in a previous role, including her own. She is in a much better place now but hasn’t forgotten it.

I really think you just should act like an adult.

Don’t be silly. How could you possibly think this would look good to your “new” colleagues?

Hi OP, I get where you're coming from but believe me, workplaces are full of hypocritical people. Not just yours.
Don't do anything that will compromise your reputation.
Wishing you well in your new role

It may well be that if you haven’t received it by now, there wasn’t enough take up on the donations or enough signatures on the card to warrant giving it to you.

And since you’re only moving internally, would it even be expected?

Plus it sounds like the managers are the ones you are upset with, yet it would be your coworkers and colleagues (who donated) you’d be insulting by rejecting the gift, so that doesn’t make any sense.

Plus you’d seem unhinged and totally dramatic. How do you even “take someone to the side” to reject a group gift anyway?

Be glad you’re leaving a crappy management environment, congratulate yourself on your new promotion, and don’t be a total plonker.

Accept graciously a d quietly bin the gift if you want to and if it makes you feel better. I have done that with gifts from people I did not like. They never knew, but it gave me some satisfaction.

Take gift with many thank yous and gracious smiles and leave it unopened on your desk.

So what would this refusal look like in your mind? Do you picture all eyes on you while your former manager hands you a gift or a card? Then what?

When they go low, you go high. Accept the gift graciously, and if you get any input, you could choose a charity donation.

I really wouldn’t as you’re staying in the company. You can always donate it to charity if that makes you feel better, but colleagues who are nothing to do with what’s happened have donated their hard earned cash and will be pretty annoyed to find you don’t want it and it goes to waste. Better to just say thanks and move on. Best of luck with the new role

Are you sure there was a big enough collection to actually warrant a gift happening? Sometimes it's unfortunate that it happens that way in the corporate environment.

More to the point what's it going to achieve apart from making you look like a right pudding. It really won't make you feel better in the long run.

IF it happens take the moral high ground. Being gracious will do you more favours.