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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask you to consider Women's Aid

34 replies

terrierist · 21/03/2013 11:27

when you have children's clothes/toys to donate to charity.

I recently ventured onto the relationships board when a thread I was watching was moved there and have had my eyes opened to what some ladies and their DCs go through and how WA help them. On one thread the OP mentioned donating things to them as ladies often arrive with nothing but the clothes they are wearing.

I've been lucky enough to lead an uneventful life and, whilst I realised that refuges existed, it had never occurred to me that people escaping abusive situations don't necessarily have time to pack a bag.

As I had a fairly large item which I ordered in error and was unable to return I went on the WA website (find a local service section) and called the number to see if it was of use to them. I was put in contact with the local refuge (48 years in this town and I didn't know it existed!) and have just got home from dropping some things off. The lovely ladies that worked there told me they are particularly in need of children's toys/clothes, towels and ladies toiletries.

All charity shops need donations to sell to raise money, but through WA you can give your unwanted items directly to the people who desperately need them. Please consider them next time you have stuff to give away.

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 21/03/2013 11:31

My double buggy, one cot and various clothes all went to the local refuge years ago. It's a very good idea.

Filibear · 21/03/2013 11:32

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Icelollycraving · 21/03/2013 11:34

I contacted my local one,they had been overrun with donations. That was at Christmas though.

Purple2012 · 21/03/2013 11:51

We do a secret Santa at work for our local women's refuge. I normally buy quite a bit for it and try to mix practical and nice stuff for it.

People don't realise that sometimes these women flee their homes with their kids and just the clothes on their backs. If I can spend a bit at Xmas to make it a bit easier for them then I will - although some of the donations are shocking - soaps that are all manky etc.

openerofjars · 21/03/2013 12:02

I gave DD's newborn and 0-3 month clothes to my local WA. I've kept a couple of special/precious things that she and her big brother had when they were tiny, but the vests, sleepsuits and bedding all went.

It was sad and rather final to see it go, but it was to such a good cause that I felt okay about letting go.

And this does rather remind me that I need to do it again now she's 9mo, thanks!

openerofjars · 21/03/2013 12:02

And thinking bout it, my old maternity gear can go as well...

crossparsley · 21/03/2013 12:41

www.giveandmakeup.com/p/about-us.html will take make-up (including partly used eg eyeshadow although not half-used mascara, they have a list on the "what we need" page), toiletries, bras as well as children's clothes and baby things and has a postal address and drop-off points.

Pootles2010 · 21/03/2013 12:44

Yes they particularly need maternity gear, as often dv starts during pregnancy Sad

I gave mine to my midwife who passed it on.

BertieBotts · 21/03/2013 12:46

Do you know if they take car seats? I find them very difficult to pass on because people understandably don't want to use a car seat with unknown history, but it's been well cared for and has loads of use left. Seems a shame to dump it!

wigglesrock · 21/03/2013 12:47

I would leave clothes, equipment into Womens Aid via my husband. He has some contact via his job. Another very useful thing is generic bits of school uniform- grey skirts, trousers etc.

Original poster
terrierist · 21/03/2013 13:05

I'm not sure about car seats Bertie - give them a call. I wasn't sure they'd take my cot bed mattress as I couldn't prove it was unused but got the impression they would have taken it anyway.

Thanks to those who've posted, the more people who read the thread the more potential help there is for those who need it.

OP posts:
JackieTheFart · 21/03/2013 13:13

I contacted ours as well and they were overrun. Having said that, I offered clothes, but I have a double buggy and some other bits which we don't need anymore.

EasilyBored · 21/03/2013 13:13

I've just emailed my local WA about a load of baby clothes and maternity gear I have taking up space at home.

whydidyoudothat · 21/03/2013 13:19

I gave all of my baby things to my local one. They were so grateful for all of it. They said that they would also take cutley, crockery bedding etc as it can come in useful when the ladies move on from the refuge into bedsits, flats etc

Wewereherefirst · 21/03/2013 13:19

I've been thinking of selling DS2's clothes and my maternity stuff, but I'm going to donate them to Womens aid if they would like it.
I was going to use the money to save for a holiday, but Id rather help a woman and her family in need than sell them.

worldgonecrazy · 21/03/2013 13:22

I've taken a pram, car seat, baby bath, high chair, clothes, nappies and some other bits and bobs to our local one. They're always grateful. I did explain that the car seat was fine but that as it was used I couldn't sell it on but hoped that someone would find a use for it. I guess someone caring enough to take stuff to a refuge is unlikely to be the sort of person to lie about a car seat's history!

The one thing they have asked though, is that my husband waits in the car whilst I take the stuff to the door, as the presence of a male can be distressing for some of the women and children staying there.

It's a shame that some are overrun and turn stuff away - it would be lovely if there was a network so that stuff could be shared out or passed to those refuges that are desperate.

montage · 21/03/2013 13:38

That's a great link crossparsley - lightly used toiletries and makeup can't be sent to a charity shop anyway. I hadn't realised there was a way to pass them on where they would be needed.

MrsAceRimmer · 21/03/2013 13:57

I've just emailed my local one to serif they would like some of our old baby stuff. Wasn't sure I wanted to chuck it and was going to sell it, but this is much better.
Thanks for this thread.

50shadesofvomit · 21/03/2013 14:02

Thanks for the thread. I will remember to donate my children's outgrown stuff to WA.

cozietoesie · 21/03/2013 14:15

Many thanks for the thread.

Bathsheba · 21/03/2013 14:26

I run our local NCT Sale and we have approached Women's Aid in the past because we are usually left with about a transit van full of items - however they have always advised us that they cannot take anything they do not have immediate need for. We are often donated prams or cots, but if Women's Aid don';t have someone with them at that time who needs something, they cannot take it as they cannot store items for future needs, even though they KNOW they will need something like that in the future.

What I'm saying is do check at a local level that Women's Aid can take them rather than rolling up with baby clothes/equipment etc as they may have a similar rule.

We also have lots of people saying to us that "the Health Visitors need things" or "the maternity unit needs things" - again when we have approached them to offer them donated items they have always been looking for something specific (like a pram with a large shopping basket for an oxygen tank) rather than being able to take general things

ArtemisKinderSurprise · 21/03/2013 16:47

Thanks for the reminder. I've just contacted our local branch & they do want the baby & maternity clothes I have. They've asked me to take them to the local children's centre & they'll collect from there.

RuckAndRoll · 21/03/2013 17:34

Brilliant thread OP.

Every Christmas at church we do a collection for the local womens aid. They always send us a list asking for the 'not so glamarous things in life' such as sanitary pads, tampons, plasters, flannels etc rather than the treats. Apparently they get given lots of fancy bubble bath etc which is great, but they need the other stuff much more. The old ladies at church find it highly embarrasing and won't consider buying sanitary towels so end up giving me the money to go and buy them.

We're expecting DC1 soon so I've not got anything to donate on that front just yet but will remember them in due course

tillyfernackerpants · 21/03/2013 18:09

Thank you OP. I've been having a clear out of the dses toys so will contact my local WA and see if they can use them.

Marcheline · 21/03/2013 18:19

Very good idea for a thread, I have all sorts of things that could be donated so off to email our local hospice now.