how can I give away my furniture to charity?

[frankief]

I am selling my house and will complete about Xmas time. I'll be staying with family whilst I am 'out of the chain' and looking for a new house. The house contents I'll skip a lot of it ,but there will be some stuff left over which I could store or sell through the small ads - cooker, fridge, washing machine, sofa, chairs, bits of furniture etc. Then I thought its Christmas, a time I hate now because it is just a greed fuelled festival of self indulgence - can I do a good deed? There must be organisations out there who look after poor people ' born in a stable' perhaps who might actually not worry about receiving my second hand furniture and electrical goods!
Anyone know of any contacts in Yorkshire area please let me know.
Happy Christmas

[Hawkwalk]

your local council may take second hand furniture for housing projects otherwise many charity shops will collect it. The British Heart Foundation took some of mine last year. Just look in yellow pages and give them a call.

[l15a27]

check your local recycling bank they give it to needy people

[l15a27]

hi just found this for you http://www.freecycle.org/display.php?region=Un ited+Kingdom
you can see which ones nearest
MERRY CHRISTMAS and god bless you and your new home

[curiosity]

we use freecycle it's good, but potentially frugal rather than needy people might take up your offer. Some social workers may know of needier families or the social services department will know. In Middlesbrough we have something called Resettlement furniture services, and they come and collect it and distribute it those in need. but nice one anyway.

[bazmoore]

there is an organisation called F.R.A.D.E who will collect furniture.

the stockton on tees no is 01642 608791

baz

[gardenmad]

We have an age concern warehouse in Milton Keynes, where lots of stuff is taken, from people who buy new, or clear out houses, and people can go and buy it, and the cash is used for Age Concern. There may be one near you. It is a very good place. I feel for you and your thoughts on Christmas - just remember what is it really about, and you will find some happiness about it, I hope.

[Keeprockin]

Sally army is another that provides furniture for less fortunate. Not sure about your electical goods,there may be some safety regulation governs them???

[Tizzi247]

In some towns, the British Heart Foundation have special furniture charity shops and they will collect. Or ring the Citizens Advice Bureau to ask if they know of anywhere, I know that people on a lower income can go to a depot and pick out furniture which has been donated, but I don't know if this is run by the council or Social Services

[frankief]

Thanks for all the leads - i've been looking on the internet and giving away your worldly goods is not that easy unless you can fit it into the corporate branded dust bin liner that these organisations issue. I think i'll ask at the local council tip or maybe put an advert in the local shop window - House contents free to first deserving asylum seeker who can sing me a christmas carol!

[l15a27]

pmsl frankief but honest people use the recycle sites too ive just been on our local one its sad some of the things people need give it a go, its worth while

[Buenchico]

There are several 'furniture projects' throughout the country. These aim to recycle furniture (and electrical goods) and often offer discounted prices to those in receipt of benefits.

In Yorkshire, these include the Keighley Furniture Project, the Richmond & Hambleton Furniture Store (also known as the Richmond & Catterick Furniture Store) and ReRun Development (Hull).

If you're not close to any of these, I'll add my backing to those people who've suggested the British Heart Foundation. They have large shops specifically devoted to the sale of furniture and electrical items. You can find your nearest shop by using the search facility here:
http://www.multimap.com/clients/places.cgi?cli ent=heart

Otherwise, you could simply contact a local auction house and ask them to collect and sell your items. You could then give the proceeds to the charity of your choice. The obvious choice would seem to be Crisis, which was originally set up (under the name 'Crisis at Christmas') to help the homeless over the Christmas period but now works for the homeless throughout the year.

Merry Christmas!

Chris

[WendyS]

Our local paper (Bucks) recently carried an advert from the British Heart Foundation appealing for good secondhand furniture so perhaps they have depots around the country. They also offered to collect it which is a blessing as most local councils will charge you for taking stuff away.
You could also try calling your local Social Services Department to see if they have any facilities for passing on furniture to needy families.

[frankief]

Thanks chicobueno, ive found the furniture recycling website.
http://www.frn.org.uk

As for the British Heart Foundation, I dont know much about its work, but doesnt this support people who have smoked, drank and eaten to excess all their life until someday their heart suddenly packs in - usually during the Christmas/ New year festivities . It would seem a perfectly logical charity to support at this time of year!

[Buenchico]

Thanks for being kind enough to respond, Frankie.

I'm sure my friend would like me to point out that the BHF also help people like him. They were extremely helpful to both him and his wife after he suddenly collapsed with a previously unrecognised heart problem, which resulted in him being given a pacemaker. As head of a school PE department, he 'practised what he preached'. He was a very moderate drinker, had never smoked in his life, was exceptionally careful about his diet and engaged in vigorous physical activity 7 days a week. It still didn't prevent him from having heart problems!

Anyway, I'm glad you've found somewhere for your furniture.

Merry Christmas,

Chris

[what..the?]

Yes did the same recently, so I:

- ring round the local charity shops to find one that had a van and would pick up donations and checked whether they would take larger items.

- asked the council to remove larger ( can't fit in me car) kind of stuff like old beds etc as the charty shops will not take these the council ask for a small fee now for collection . My local council charge �15 for four items and you have to tell the what items you want them to take because they will not take them otherwise. This is to stop other people just dumping stuff outside your house and you paying for it.

- freecycle is very good