Charity Shop Opposite Sommerfield

[seanmlow]

Has anyone noticed that despite the signs people leave their stuff out there, which in turn gets opened?

This morning half the street was filled with old boxes, socks and some (unfortunately, dirty) underwear!

[PeckhamRose]

Happens at the Mind shop too. Wait, happens in most charity shops I see!

Not ED specific.

Shows that people are people wherever they live!

[chuff]

it does happen all the time, the only way to stop it is to make sure you take donations when the shops are open.

I've seen many people picking through the charity shop bags and some have genuinely looked in need of the stuff but others not.

chuff

[dave]

I walked past last night about 10pm and there was a whole family ripping bags open and sorting through the stuff inside, sifting it.

To be honest, part of me wanted to say something, but another part thought they looked so desperate that I didn't want to embarrass them any further.

Right thing or wrong thing to do?

[templeton]

I think people dumping stuff outside these shops are more at fault than people going through it. They must have to bin everything that is left out overnight in the rain anyway.

[karter]

Sean, you will be changing office soon i guess so you won't have that problem on your doorstep anymore.

How is the *expansion* going? That's what the board says above the office anyway.

The hole in the wall that the builders have made is very impressive i must say. You must get me their number. Ta

[katied]

right thing to do (obviously, and IMO)

[Indiana]

I'm with Templeton here - the people dumping their charity bags outside shops when they are closed are the ones totally in the wrong. They can't be bothered to wait until the shop has opened and instead leave (effectively what turns in to) rubbish outside the shop for the charity to dispose of as it's usually sodden from rain or strewn over the pavement and ruined.

It's a real pet hate of mine. Those who then go through the bags and take stuff I'm not too bothered about - it's basically rubbish left in the street so if they need it or sell it on at car boot sales/ebay so be it.

So next time you see someone actually leaving the bags outside the shop (underneath quite a clear sign asking them not to!) that's when you should speak up.

[Jeremy]

"can't be bothered to wait until the shop has opened"? How about the majority of us who aren't around during the daytime when these shops are open? I'm not saying we should all leave our stuff outside, but it's not necessarily a simple matter of "can't be bothered".

[twinks]

I'm not surprised some people dump their bags outside the shop instead of going inside. The last time I went in with 6 bags of old clothes, all I was greeted with was tuts, sighs and total lack of gratitude due to the 'lack of space' they had. I know it's not a big deal giving some stuff to a local charity but just a simple 'thanks' would be nice.

[ed_pete]

Please, Somerfield not Sommerfield.

[seanmlow]

Sorry don't shop in there so wouldn't know. I don't like their overpriced toot.

[JenSpen]

They're open on Saturdays.

[????]

"Oh I'm so decent I'll give my rags to the poor.....what It's not open at 8.30pm on Wednesday I'll leave it in a shi1te pile in the street" Not that difficult to take it when they're open is it????

[Indiana]

Yes - exactly..

Jeremy - most of the charity shops are open Saturdays and some on Sundays.....people go after hours, see the shop is closed and then 'can't be bothered' to put stuff back in car/take home again and return when it is open!

Pretty simple.

[cdonline]

It always confused me. Who are these people, who decide in the middle of the night to go to the local charity shop and dump there stuff outside. Is there some de-cluttering gene they have that is only activated in the wee small hours.

[Rabbler]

I suppose in the past there were jumble sales where you could get rid of your stuff. There hardly seem to be any about these days.

But I do agree with the comment about grumpy staff in charidee shops. I realise that they are for a good cause, usually, but I nose about in them not to be charitable, but because I'm looking for a bargain. Usually old books or videos. Is it too much to expect to be served with the good manners that I would treat someone with, when I'm at work, serving members of the public?

As for the 'pikeys' going through the stuff after hours, morally wrong, but legally I would guess it doesn't belong to anyone & has been dumped. It's clearly NOT the property of the shops, as they have signs saying do NOT leave donations outside, which must mean they are no claiming the goods. So keep on scavenging, blame the 'do gooder' dumpers.

[fuzzyboots]

I've never worked in a charity shop - and this is not an excuse for surliness - but so far as I'm aware the people who work in St Christopher's shop are all volunteers.

Shoot me down in flames if I'm wrong, of course. But I know for sure that one of the ladies is definitely a volunteer and I also know for sure that she could do with actually earning some money for her volunteering, but she is strongly motivated to give her time for free and that's what she does.

Equally, however, I must say that being a volunteer is no justification for being crap/surly/inefficient.

But would you do it for free?! Assuming you had the time, which I appreciate many of us do not.

Fuzzyboots

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I just go to Sainsbury's and use their clothes recycling bin, you can go any hour of the day and dump it all in there!

[Billy]

It drives my absolutely wild when people dump stuff outside the charity shops because they are too lazy to go to the dump or turn up when the shop is open. What they are essentially doing is fly-tipping which is illegal although no doubt they ignore the very clear signage telling them not to leave their stuff as it will have to be thrown away and drive off feeling that they have done a good deed by giving stuff to charity. In fact it costs the charity shops lots of money as they have to sort out the mess left in front of the shops.

[Pierre]

Some people simply aren't able to get to the shops when they're open to drop off their clothes. That's not enough of an excuse for fly-tipping, however well meant.

However, there's a bin round the corner from the Mind shop on the EDT roundabout that you can drop in 24hrs/day, or as someone else has said, there's a bin in Sainsbury's car park.

: P

[Mellors]

I'm pretty sure there is a bin in the car park at the back of the cafe in Peckham Rye Park as well.

[Indiana]

Pierre - you say some people aren't able to get to the shops when they're open - I don't get it?!! They are open on the weekend too!

I work in town during the week too and it's pretty simple to just wait until you are around on a Saturday to drop stuff off..??!!!