Don't Bin It, Donate It!

Over the years I have always preferred to donate my old "stuff" to charity.

Old toys, clothes (often in quite perfect condition, just grown out of - lol) ornaments I got sick of the sight of, books, old crockery, in fact a quite endless list. I have struggled down to the charity shop to drop them off. Once when I had a particularly large load I had someone from the shop come and collect which was nice.

Earlier this year when dropping off a load I was asked if I would mind signing a form so the shop can claim back tax on the money raised, Gift Aid, which of course I did. They may as well get the most they can form the goods sold.

I gave it no further thought since apart from showing my donor number each time I take in more stuff. But the other day I had a letter from the charity to inform me that since signing the tax form they had raised £183 from the goods I have donated. The letter gave me the chance of claiming the money back for myself ( I had no idea I would be offered this chance) but of course I wouldn't dream of doing that. I gave the stuff away in good faith that it would help the charity, but I just thought how nice it was to be told how much money they had made. Usually when you donate to a shop you have no idea what happens next, so this information is very motivating for me, to stop me being lazy and just putting my unwanted stuff in the bin! As if I would....