I will let it go, but this has annoyed me

Christmas tends to be when most charity shops are overflowing with toys@BonneMaman77 because so many people have a good clear out before Christmas to make room for the new stuff. As society we have too much stuff, it's just unevenly distributed. Charity shops help with that but it's really not their job to counter our huge over-consumption. And then people get do hugely offended that they don't want their leavings.

Can you find a local charity that will take the toys? How about finding a local alternative and asking the charity man to send the collection there. He cannot be serious about destroying quality items ever, especially toys at this time of year! His attitude given what he does is crap.

Check your emails and paperwork and if it’s correct, do please complain about him. He needs to be more effective at his job and learn not to be rude to people who try to help. I suspect you won’t be thinking about helping this charity again, and they need to know why.

My mum has tried donating her mum’s stuff to Charity shops (all nice and practically unused). Several Charity shops have been really rude to my mum and haven’t accepted anything so most of it has gone in the tip.

OP I would go straight there and pick up all the toys ect.. better than it going in the bin!

I would complain. Ridiculous way for him to behave.

I head up retail for a charity and would be mortified if one of our shops acted this way. 100% contact head office and complain

No, his job is to raise money for the charity he works for, not spend yet more time and resources rehoming uwanted stuff.

Well I doubt you're more annoyed than he is @JMSA , he's the one stuck with all the stuff that no one wanted.

I would have set up a stall after school and asked for donations of around 50p per item or what ever you think appropriate and that was you have got rid of loads of stuff, people have bought stuff for a bargain and the money raised can be donated to what ever charity or charities if the schools choosing

I have rarely taken stuff to charity shops as it just isn’t worth the time or money to do so

Most of the time the notices are that they don’t want certain items as they have too much (probably because what they do have in the shop is overpriced) or your stuff isn’t the quality they want.

I would absolutely complain. That’s a poor attitude for any charity shop manager and how dare he call you at work and tell you off like a naughty child. If he did his job properly he would find a new charity to take the toys. A charity shop manager disposing of them is outrageous to me.

Charity shops can sell toys, very few don't in fact. We check them for CE/UKCA labels but other than that there are no restrictions on toys for under 3s.
We often become overwhelmed with them and have to say no, although I try to find other homes for them instead when I can.
Children's clothes however, those I often say no to. We price them at 50p and still they don't sell, with supermarkets so cheap people only buy a few more expensive pieces from charity shops now.

I would complain, without a doubt. He dragged you out of class, with no consideration about how that would make you look to office staff (your HT might have been about and believed you were in the wrong), to throw an absolutely unnecessary hissy fit, based on a lie, and then hung up on you. Totally unacceptable.

I recently put together a box of hardly used good quality unmarked toys (wooden toys, Melissa & Doug,etc) and took them to the local charity shop. They didn’t want them as the toy shelves were full - with brand new products!

They won’t be getting anything from me in future.

The local hospice charity were thrilled with the donation and put them in the window.

At the end if the day, you have nowhere to store the toys and wanted them to be taken away. That is what has happened.

I wouldn’t be too worried about the toys being wasted or thrown away. I well remember the stuff that was left over at school sales. The charity are disposing of it rather than you and I doubt t you'd have got one charity to collect everything so even if some of the stuff goes to the dump they have done you a favour.

The phone call was off, but you can't change the fact it happened.

Absolutely go to his head office get the donations back and complain!!! There’s children in your area getting NOTHING I guarantee it …. Contact your local church pastor they will know where the toys are needed for sure ….

‘he’ needs a different job charity clearly isn’t his thing

What charity shop isn’t accepting children’s clothes? 🙄 never mind, your intentions were good and it wasn’t your fault.

Honestly this makes me so mad, I once organised to donate a dining table and chairs to the British Heart Foundation as I was moving and didn’t need it, it was in great condition and when the driver came he wouldn’t take it as there was a small biro mark on the table. I will never offer them anything again, I gave it to a local charity who came same day to get it and were so grateful. This was disgraceful behaviour by this staff member and I sincerely hope you find a different charity to support next time.

If email HQ and complain, especially about him ringing you at work and hanging up.
Thought charity shops were crying out for toys before Xmas?!?

Sounds like a jobs worth!

This.. If not clearly CE marked no charity shop can legally sell toys now..
Obviously he should have made it clear but no point getting stressed over it now.

The more I hear about charities the more I think they need to start paying staff wages and proper rates.
They disadvantage small businesses by selling brand new items, they’re impossible to deal with if you have a complaint and they’re frequently rude.
And a friend of mine was hassled continuously as an executor as the charity thought he should have magically made probate go through a lot quicker.
There are no charities in my will, I have two that I give a monthly donation to and my dc have been instructed to donate a lump sum after I’ve died.

Well what a horrible end to all your work. I’m so sorry. Sometimes we do all the right things and put in all the effort and it doesn’t work out how we’d like it to. Use the feelings you are having to make you a better teacher, partner, or friend. You did a good thing, don’t let this stop you doing your utmost again.

I’d consider calling their head office, explaining the situation and ask if they could look into giving the toys to another of their shops or a different charity. Throwing toys away would be a waste.

I would contact his Manager and complain. Those toys didn't have to be thrown away, they could have been re-donated them, given to a food or baby bank

Annoyed or not if you can't take them back then it pretty much doesn't change anything.

Most charity shops do not accept toys, and haven't for a few years. Only certain sellers can sell toys for under 3 now also.

My guess is he said clothes meaning toys...I can't think of one shop that doesn't sell kids clothes, we donate to different places kids clothes and they are snapped up.

If it really pissed you off it might be worth writing a letter to their head office telling all and let them know that next year you will go with a better charity that corresponds better!