The message that the Somerset Waste Partnership want to get across is that recycling is good but re-use is even better. And what better place to get rid of our unwanted clothes, books, toys, CDs, records etc. than a charity shop. There is a charity shop in nearly every high street and they perform a great service.
Now there is a campaign running called ‘Choose Charity Shops’ to highlight the good that they do. SWP say that running landfill sites costs the county £9 million every year. So why not start using charity shops to get rid of at least some of your unwanted goods.
The shops are keen to point out that they don’t just want any old rubbish. They want things that they can sell on so it’s no good donating broken records, books with pages missing or bags that have broken handles. Old and worn clothes are fine though. You can ring the shop first and check with the staff if you have any doubts about your goods.
When you drop the goods off you can have a look around the shop yourself and maybe pick up a bargain or two. Charity shop staff also ask you not to just leave things outside the door if the shop is closed. For one thing it is an invitation to thieves and for another they could get damaged by the weather.
For larger goods such as furniture or electrical items you should also call ahead to see if the shop can take them. If not, there are furniture re-use charities in Yeovil and Chard who can help you and may even collect the items for a small fee. Also going on at the moment is the ‘Big Bra Hunt’ for Oxfam who want women to donate their old bras.
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