A CHILDREN’s hospice charity says it is losing more than £100,000 each year due to unusable shop donations.
Acorns Children’s Hospice, which supports children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions in the West Midlands, is urging supporters to “donate with care” to help reduce these costs.
Of the 3,000 tonnes of donated items it receives annually, around 1,000 tonnes cannot be sold and must instead be processed by waste and recycling partners at a significant expense.
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Gary Pettit, associate director of retail at Acorns, said: “Every donation to Acorns is an act of generosity and we are incredibly grateful for.
“Behind every bag brought through the doors of our shops is someone wanting to make a difference to children and families who need us.
“But when we receive an item that we simply cannot sell, there is a cost involved in dealing with it.
“For a charity that needs more than £40,000 every day to provide our vital services, that is money we could spend on the children and families we support.”
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Acorns is encouraging donors to ensure that items are clean, complete and in good condition before dropping them off.
This not only supports the charity’s care services but also promotes sustainability by keeping more pre-loved goods in circulation.
James said: “We’re not asking people to give more, but just to take a few extra considerations.
“Before bringing something to an Acorns shop, take a moment to think: is it clean, complete, safe and in good enough condition for somebody else to buy and use?
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“Would you be happy to give it to a friend or family member?
“That small check can make a really meaningful difference.
“The better the quality of the donations we receive, the more money we can raise to support children and families, helping make sure generosity goes as far as possible.”
In the past year, Acorns cared for more than 800 children and supported over 1,100 families across the West Midlands, including those who are bereaved.
The charity operates 47 shops and superstores throughout the region, raising more than £2 million each year through retail income.
