Farplace Animal Rescue in Consett reports frequent rubbish donations, including soiled items and broken goods, costing the charity disposal fees and reducing funds for animals
Farplace Animal Rescue Charity Shop Faces Rubbish Donations
The Farplace Animal Rescue charity shop in Consett, County Durham, has reported “disgusting” finds in donation bags. Staff say they have received “high volumes of rubbish.” They shared a picture showing a bag filled with empty chocolate wrappers, a bottle of toilet cleaner, part of a DVD, and used toilet roll.
Part-time worker Neave Colwell told The Northern Echo, “I’ve been working there for a year and I’ve touched used nappies, soiled clothes, and sanitary towels which have been buried at the bottom of bags.” Rubbish was donated to the shop in late December.
Colwell noted, “Some people have started wearing gloves when going through donations, and that’s something I’m going to start doing too.” She added, “On a weekly basis, we receive at least one donation that is just rubbish, really. As if someone has poured things from their bin into a bag.”
She explained, “It does cost us because we then have to properly dispose of the waste people donate.” Colwell thinks some donations are genuine accidents, but she believes many are due to carelessness. “They have thought about how busy the tip is and just thought that they would give it to us,” she said.
The shop has been located on Victoria Road since late 2024. It occupies a sizeable unit, but more donations are coming in with litter. Colwell, 25, added, “We also find broken things, like toys with missing parts which we obviously can’t sell.”
She mentioned, “We find stuff like that all the time – I think it’s also this time of year with it being after Christmas. It still happens throughout the year.” Colwell finds it disheartening to receive broken items because it means less money for the animals.
She urged, “People need to be more mindful. If you were looking at something to buy in a charity shop, you wouldn’t buy it if it wasn’t good quality. If you wouldn’t buy it, then don’t donate it.”
The charity shop is open seven days a week. It accepts donations of clothing, bric-a-brac, kitchenware, home decorations, furniture, and electronics in working order.
Summary of Donation Issues
| Issue | Description |
|---|---|
| Rubbish Donations | High volumes of rubbish found in donation bags. |
| Types of Rubbish | Includes used nappies, soiled clothes, and broken items. |
| Impact | Costs for proper waste disposal and less money for animals. |
| Shop Location | Victoria Road, Consett since late 2024. |
| Donation Guidelines | Accepts clothing, bric-a-brac, kitchenware, home decorations, furniture, and working electronics. |
