DV refuges- how can I donate stuff?

[Miljah]

Given that their location has to remain secret.

I'd like to donate things like kids toys/clothes to a women's refuge- tho am interested in what else might be useful?

How do I do about finding where to donate?

Thanks.

You could google , most refuges have an email contact. You could ask them if they want to collect items or if you can leave them with a third party.

A lovely lady runs a Facebook page near us and she collects for many local charities including a women's refuge. Things get dropped off at her house.

Other useful things include toiletries. On Mother's Day/Christmas time your unused gift sets.
Our lady normally posts a list.

I rang, immediately said it wasn’t an emergency and explained why I was ringing. They had an admin office I could drop thing to, and they have collected larger items from me such as fridge freezer/washing machine etc. I have given a good quality pram, all the DCs dressing up items etc. The dressing up stuff was going to be kept at the refuge and it made me happy thinking children were going to arrive and hopefully smile when they got to play. The other stuff was given to women when they get their own homes. Lovely idea, OP!

Thanks everyone, great ideas.

I was wondering whether donating sanitary products was okay? I stockpiled quite a lot, then hit menopause, so might they be accepted?

They would be thrilled with sanitary stuff, make up, bags, bedding...pretty much anything in reasonable or better condition and so long as it's not for men. I give all mine and my children's items to our local refuge as well as lots of household bits

If you know who runs the refuge, you could contact the organizations local office and donate there. Some will collect donations from you but it is time consuming.

I know it probably shouldn't need saying but please ensure that anything donated is clean, not damaged and suitable.
You'd be amazed how many shitstained vests, clothes with holes in and T-shirts saying 'Daddy's little princess' get donated.

Someone actually told me once that they should be grateful for what they get and not to be so fussy!

Toiletries and sanitary protection are welcome. Many women and families arrive with absolutely nothing.

swifty point taken. I try and offload our un-needed stuff appropriately; if a shirt is torn or stained, I wash it and put it in a bag, marked as such, into a clean textile bin for recycling as rags, or whatever.

I readily confess that I can't be arsed with car boot sales! Especially having read recent threads on here!

So 'Good' stuff might go to a charity shop, but in my own, small way, I am thinking some of what I am lucky enough to be able to give away might go directly to women and children in far less fortunate circumstances than mine, tho it might require a bit more effort on my part.

I recognise my privilege!

And as for that 'Daddy's li'l Princess' shite...

Just- no.

I've worked with two refuges, one I don't know where they put their donations but the other has a great big cupboard with clothes piled everywhere and it seems they never even get given to the women. They definitely don't know the cupboard exists. Last time I was in there I saw one big silver high heel.
I donate to street homeless services instead now, because they generally don't have cupboards to lose donations in.

I remember as a child being picked up from school in the middle of the day, along with my siblings. We had to travel half way across the country. My mum had only had time to stuff a plastic black bag with random clothes for all of us.
There was a huge room full of piles of donated clothes ect. We were allowed to help ourselves to whatever we wanted. One woman in the refuge asked us all what we missed most from home. I said my dolls. The next day she produced a doll for me. It was old but it was mine and I still have it. Donations do get used and people are very thankful for them.

In our area there is an admin e-mail 'contact us' address that I have written to.

Over time I have donated a set of saucepans, several single duvets and sets of bedding. One lot was handed over in a supermarket car park, the other dropped off at the home of one of the organisers. All items were passed on to women as they moved to their own accommodation.