AIBU?
Aibu to take things from outside the clothes bank
Untamedfemale · 14/10/2022 11:43
Just what the title says my kids need clothes and there are always bags of them outside the clothes bank a lot of people seem to go through them and they often end up on the floor etc so do you think ibu to have a look through and take some.
Am I being unreasonable?
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InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 15/10/2022 12:52
NutbushShittyLimits · 14/10/2022 13:52
However desperate you are, stealing is never okay, and to do so from a charity is abhorrent.
Not as abhorrent as British Citizens having to scrabble about on the floor for clothes because they are so down on their luck.
Shame on us for allowing this.
^ Also this 
graceinspace999 · 15/10/2022 13:19
Aren’t we all just a bit of bad luck away from your predicament?
ignore the jabs about technically stealing and all that — the virtuous love deluding themselves that they would be ‘super-technically honest’‘ were they in the same position as you.
They have no idea what it’s like to be you.
Take the clothes - you’re doing the shops a service. Stop donating. I hope your luck changes soon and when it does you can pay it forward.
Until then continue doing your best for yourself and your family.
Women like you deserve a medal 🏅
Oldsu · 15/10/2022 18:32
InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 15/10/2022 12:49
^ This.
All this pious spouting about 'Stealing'. You wouldn't be stealing anything, the previous owners have dumped it OUTSIDE a clothes bank.
CourtneeLuv · 14/10/2022 11:55
Do what you need to do. Until the charity collect it, it's technically not theirs, it's dumped.
And those bins aren't particularly charitable anyway. It all gets sorted and sold abroad.
@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream actually you are incorrect, I posted a comment upthread about a high court ruling stating that items left outside a charity shop still belonged to the person donating the goods until the charity took them in, this ruling came into effect after a man appealed his conviction for stealing goods outside a shop, his defence argued that they were dumped outside the shop and didn't belong to anyone, the man's conviction was upheld, also in my local area a few years ago a group of men who collected another charities bags left outside a clothing bank were convicted of theft, although of course there is a world of difference between wholesale theft by people who wanted to sell the goods for their own profit and a desperate parent needing the clothes for their children, however how would the OP or other people actually know what bags contained clothing to fit their children, if rummaging through means breaking open the bags and leaving unwanted goods in a vulnerable position, open to the elements or for other people to rummage through then it's not acceptable.
There was a huge problem during the first lockdown with people leaving tons of stuff outside charity shop bins which were rifled through and strewn all over the place, at that time the charity collection workers were not deemed as essential workers so were not able to collect anything, the problem was so serious that by the second lockdown charity shop bin collections were reclassified as waste disposal, so workers were allowed to collect
InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 15/10/2022 18:39
@Oldsu I see your point, and I'm not arguing it, but the people dumping the clothes are hardly wanting them back, are they. And OP is just as worthy as any other charity recipient. I think that was the point I was trying to make, albeit badly.
XenoBitch · 15/10/2022 18:44
Oldsu · 15/10/2022 18:32
@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream actually you are incorrect, I posted a comment upthread about a high court ruling stating that items left outside a charity shop still belonged to the person donating the goods until the charity took them in, this ruling came into effect after a man appealed his conviction for stealing goods outside a shop, his defence argued that they were dumped outside the shop and didn't belong to anyone, the man's conviction was upheld, also in my local area a few years ago a group of men who collected another charities bags left outside a clothing bank were convicted of theft, although of course there is a world of difference between wholesale theft by people who wanted to sell the goods for their own profit and a desperate parent needing the clothes for their children, however how would the OP or other people actually know what bags contained clothing to fit their children, if rummaging through means breaking open the bags and leaving unwanted goods in a vulnerable position, open to the elements or for other people to rummage through then it's not acceptable.
There was a huge problem during the first lockdown with people leaving tons of stuff outside charity shop bins which were rifled through and strewn all over the place, at that time the charity collection workers were not deemed as essential workers so were not able to collect anything, the problem was so serious that by the second lockdown charity shop bin collections were reclassified as waste disposal, so workers were allowed to collect
InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 15/10/2022 12:49
^ This.
All this pious spouting about 'Stealing'. You wouldn't be stealing anything, the previous owners have dumped it OUTSIDE a clothes bank.
CourtneeLuv · 14/10/2022 11:55
Do what you need to do. Until the charity collect it, it's technically not theirs, it's dumped.
And those bins aren't particularly charitable anyway. It all gets sorted and sold abroad.
Well, of course they had to rule that the goods belonged to the person who left them, otherwise no one would be convicted for flytipping.
MrsClatterbuck · 16/10/2022 15:35
spiderontheceiling · 14/10/2022 11:50
I donate to these "bins" as it is often more convenient that going to a charity shop (pedestrianised town centre) and I want to help someone in need. If you happen to be that person in need, then I'd be quite happy for you to take it.
Same here. If the clothes are taken by someone who genuinely needs them I wouldn't have a problem with that. Are the charity going to take these clothes and go to the trouble of laundering them with added cost or let them go as they are to someone in need.
Untamedfemale · 16/10/2022 18:34
Stressfordays · 14/10/2022 12:01
I wouldn't care if you took the clothes I'd left, I don't want them anymore and I've usually offered them around to friends already. If I spot a wanted post on Facebook, I'm always happy to give so please do post on there! Do you have any friends with slightly older/bigger children? They may have a bag going spare too. I always offer friends my children's outgrown clothes and they do the same.
I haven’t any friends tbh I’m quite alone since my dh got ill but I’ll definitely have a look on Facebook I have already put a few posts up 😊
leatherboundbooks · 17/10/2022 19:21
Leaving bags outside the bins technically I believe counts as fly tipping
I once picked up several bags from outside a local Clothes bank a couple of days before Christmas because it was raining and I could see that the clothing inside was being soaked.
Had I not taken it after Christmas or new year all that would have happened would have been put in the landfill
I sorted through the bags, washed and dried things and kept a few jumpers, and took the rest of the stuff to a charity shop after Christmas. Result several bags kept out of landfill and the local hospice shop had several bags of quality clean dry clothing. And my son and I had some new jumpers which actually had needed a bit of mending so they probably would have gone for rag anyway
OP ask your local children's Centre to out out an appeal for you, you'll get the sizes you need that way
reigatecastle · 17/10/2022 19:23
sheepandcaravan · 14/10/2022 21:50
I really don't know what else to say to get the point across, but this is classic Mumsnet.
Can I shout.
I RUN A LOCAL CLOTHES BANK
LEAVING STUFF ON THE GROUND IS FLYTIPPING AND IF WE FIND A NAME WE WILL REFER IT.
THE BANKS NEED THE CLOTHES INSIDE OR WILL NOT COLLECT
ANYTHING ON THE GROUND PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE TO COLLECT AND BIN
You can shout as much as you like. If a bin is full, I am not taking the things home again. So if someone like the OP comes along and rummages through them, she can be my guest. If you don't want spoiled books and clothes, do the collections more often. The last few times I've been able to fit my things in a bin in any event.
And no, I don't go to charity shops because there is nowhere to park, they often don't want the things anyway, and even if they do, they want me to hang around filling in a gift aid form.
I think it's completely different leaving bags of clothes next to a clothing bin, as opposed to some trade rubbish or old chairs which have nothing to do with the bins' contents. That is fly-tipping. THAT needs reporting.
sheepandcaravan · 17/10/2022 20:47
@reigatecastle exactly. Because you are on the same page essentially that it's not unreasonable for op to take them, because they are not in the bin!
I don't do the collections, I just organise them for the village, so the charities run that, and no matter how many we suggest there are people who just put it next to the bin, in which case go for it!
Luredbyapomegranate · 19/10/2022 23:59
spiderontheceiling · 14/10/2022 11:50
I donate to these "bins" as it is often more convenient that going to a charity shop (pedestrianised town centre) and I want to help someone in need. If you happen to be that person in need, then I'd be quite happy for you to take it.
Exactly.
Mummyoflittledragon · 20/10/2022 07:39
reigatecastle · 17/10/2022 19:23
You can shout as much as you like. If a bin is full, I am not taking the things home again. So if someone like the OP comes along and rummages through them, she can be my guest. If you don't want spoiled books and clothes, do the collections more often. The last few times I've been able to fit my things in a bin in any event.
And no, I don't go to charity shops because there is nowhere to park, they often don't want the things anyway, and even if they do, they want me to hang around filling in a gift aid form.
I think it's completely different leaving bags of clothes next to a clothing bin, as opposed to some trade rubbish or old chairs which have nothing to do with the bins' contents. That is fly-tipping. THAT needs reporting.
sheepandcaravan · 14/10/2022 21:50
I really don't know what else to say to get the point across, but this is classic Mumsnet.
Can I shout.
I RUN A LOCAL CLOTHES BANK
LEAVING STUFF ON THE GROUND IS FLYTIPPING AND IF WE FIND A NAME WE WILL REFER IT.
THE BANKS NEED THE CLOTHES INSIDE OR WILL NOT COLLECT
ANYTHING ON THE GROUND PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE TO COLLECT AND BIN
That comes across as terribly arrogant and this is the issue with today’s society. Immediate gratification and expectations the planet will bend to our will. You could take stuff to the tip instead of fly tipping.
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