To have thought I'd have my arm bitten off!

[Gimmesomemore]

Over the past few months we've had a massive house de-clutter, and I'm looking for a new home for lots of childrens toys, books and clothes. Some unopened/unworn, and in good condition.

I've just rang the council who had no idea of any places that might want/need them. But suggested I call the local citizens advice bureau.

The lady at cab who I spoke to, said in a really disinterested voice "I don't know....." So I ended the call saying I'll have a look on the internet.

I thought (possibly stupidly) that a local women's refuge may have need for these sort of items, or families that find themselves suddenly homeless.

Aibu to think that this should have been a much easier task? Or where shall I donate it all?

Do you have a Homestart scheme in your area? They might have a use for it.

Call local children's services and ask them to contact your local woman's refuge to arrange for you to make a donation of these items.

Why don't you just call a women's refuse? You probably will get "your arm bitten off" but you may have to do the leg work yourself.

could you contact women's aid directly?

here

Do you have a women's aid locally? They may be able to take some things?

We did this, called a refuge. You can't take it to their location obviously, but the one we donated to had a different location for drop off on certain days. It's so well worth the effort to know it's going to help someone who really needs those things. :)

I called Women's Aid a few weeks ago because I had some unopened whole, boxes of nappies and clothes. The woman on the phone was so rude to me, she got really arises about them not taking cast offs and needing money not things, it's really put me off helping them in the future.

Do you have a local children's charity or a Family Centre that might take them or know someone who will, if not then charity shop or Local children's ward maybe?

Meant to add its lovely that you want to help people and donate things so please don't let the miserable person put you off :)

There's always the charity shop option. Most charity shops will even collect the stuff if you can't get it there & I'm sure they'd bite your arm off.

When I donated a refuse a while back, I called childres services and they arranged for someone to call me who then collected them. My brother often donates and he drops off to a certain place. But I don't think it's easy to get local refuges number without going through childrens services.

What area do you live in?

Try Wood Street Mission if you live in near manchester

Thanks for the replies.

I rang the council thinking they'd know who I need to speak to, so would put me through to children's services, they had no idea.

Cab was rude and disinterested.

I obviously don't want to call and clog up a help line etc. I can do the driving/drop off my self.

Who knew it would be such a mission.

If it's new stuff your local hospital might accept it for the children's ward? Or can you freecycle it? Or stick it on Facebook, some of your friends might like it?

Or there is even a section on here where you can give stuff away.

My health visitor once said about her having ladies on her books, with not much money and no local family , who don't get receive hand me downs, who really needed help. So I used to give all my stuff to her to distribute.

i called my local sure start centre, and they took all my stuff and promised to give it to families in need. (hated the thought of my babies clothes going to the shoddy man because they didn't sell in a charity shop, and getting shredded)

We donated a load of things at Christmas to Women's Aid. I just looked up their contact number online for our local refuge and called them, then dropped the things off.

Council wouldn't know, and nor would CAB - though there was no need for rudeness. That's just not what CAB do, and the council do not run refuges or hostels so could not help any more than you looking up a number in a phone book and taking it from there.

We have been getting rid of stuff like this via freecycle/freegle. One guy came from a hostel and took some furniture. Kids' stuff also goes to people who want it for playgroups, or to grandparents who want stuff for the children to play at their house.

I know some people ebay stuff they get this way, but to be honest, i don't mind!

My health visitor took lots of things for local families from us, as did our children's centre. My SIL is a HV and always has contacts for donations. Worth a try?

Just spoken to women's aid, who is contacting my local women's refuge on my behalf. They said they'd be very interested especially with my childrens outgrown DVDs - peppa pig/thomas the tank etc and ds games.

They also said toddler clothes are welcome, and all the toys that my boys accumulate and end up overwhelmed with (DH has a large foster family, so they receive far too much.)

Thanks for all the replies, you've all been very helpful, so I'll know in future. I feel a bit stupid re the women's refuge, of course they wouldn't just put contact details/addresses on the internet - what a numb skull!

A nearby primary school might like some donated books for their library, and for clothes etc you could try your local branch of the Salvation Army. They would probably be able to collect from you.

Ah that's great OP don't feel silly, I wouldn't have known either! Though now I think about it, it makes sense!

Ive encountered this OP. I did resign it to the nearest charity shop which is in support of womens aid.

I had difficulty trying to give our unused, good condition clothes and toys to our local women's aid refuges.

They had no storage and nobody needing those things at that time so wouldn't accept any of it. I did offer to hold onto it until they did have someone who needs it but they turned me down.

It all went to our local charity shop instead, which was fine but I did feel quite disappointed.

I think some of you might be shocked to see the kind of stuff that people try and offload on charities like this. Broken, dirty, incomplete - the sort of thing most of us would be ashamed to leave outside for the refuse collectors!

Perhaps that's why the disinterest/rudeness, although I know it doesn't excuse it.