Donate your pre-loved items
Our shops are always delighted to receive good quality donations. Every bag of stock that is donated to us makes a real difference to the babies, children, young people and families we care for. Clothes that are too big or too small, books you’ve read, furniture you’re replacing, toys your children or grandchildren have outgrown all make ideal donations.
We ask that prior to taking your donations to your local shop, you check the list of items we can't accept. If you are donating a large amount or a large item, please contact the shop first.
How to donate items to your local shop
Grab a donation bag
Donation Bags are available in every CHSW shop and at hospice receptions, so feel free to pick one up on your next visit. You could even take a few and give them to family and friends.
What do I do with my donations?
You can deliver your donations to one of our hospices or to one of our shops. Alternatively, if you have large items of furniture, large quantities of donations or cannot transport your donations, we can arrange to collect them from you. Please telephone us on 01271 325 270 to make arrangements.
What difference will I make?
We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations and your unwanted items can help us continue this important and vital work. Our shops are always in need of good quality items to sell and welcome your donations, so the next time you have a spring clean or house clearance, please remember Children’s Hospice South West may be able to benefit from your unwanted items. For more information on how to donate to our charity shops please contact your local shop.
Items we can't sell
There are some things that we can't sell for safety or legal reasons. If you're not sure whether we can sell your donations, please take a look at our list of items we can't sell.
Leaving donations outside shop opening hours
Although we really welcome your donations we ask that you please don't leave them outside the shop when we're closed. Not only do we like to be able to thank you personally for bringing them in, but when bags are left outside overnight it can be problematic.
Bags outside a shop are a fire hazard, items are often stolen or they can simply be ruined by our great British weather! They cannot then be sold and we often have to pay to be dispose of them. Plus it all ads up to lots of extra hours of valuable volunteer time to sort through donations that then need to be got rid of. All of this means that it is of no benefit to us as a charity, and may even cost us!
We take great care to make sure we can raise funds from as many pre-loved items that are donated to us as possible, but there are some things that we cannot resell in our shops or raise money from in other ways. There may be good reasons that you aren't able to drop off your donations when the shop is open which is why we try and have shops open at weekends. If you have a large collection of bags from a business or community group or house clearance we can arrange to come and collect them from you. But you'll understand that we ask for donations to be bought into us wherever possible to help us keep costs down of collections, so that more of the money we raise can go into funding the care at our hospices.
It's a sad fact that most items left outside charity shops when they are closed will be damaged in some way.
Bag it, box it and bring it
Turn your pre-loved goodies into smiles! Hold a Bag it, box it and bring it event with groups of friends, colleagues or in your local community to have that clear out of your home or office.
