Donate to a charity shop | British Red Cross (2024)

Thank you for your donations

Your second-hand and vintage clothes, books, furniture, electrical goods and other items could be just what someone else is looking for. Almost anything you give us can find a new home through our shops.

At the same time, your donations will raise money to support people in crisis in the UK and overseas. And if we can’t sell your items for any reason, we can often earn money from them through textiles recycling.

Arrow iconWhat to donate

Arrow iconItems we can’t sell

Arrow iconAdd Gift Aid to your donation

Arrow iconHow your donations help

What to donate

Clothes

We are grateful for all preloved clothes, including women’s clothes, men’s clothes, coats, shirts, trousers and jeans. Boots, shoes and trainers are always popular.

You can also donate specialist items at any of our local charity shops. We'll then sell them there or at ourvintage and designer shopsorwedding dress shop

The better an item’s quality, the more money we can raise.

Jewellery

Have an old ring, watch or necklace you don’t wear anymore? Donate it to us and make someone’s day with a ‘new to you’ piece of jewellery that will be just right for them.

• Declutter your wardrobe–three easy tips on how to clear out at home and help out the Red Cross with your donations.

Books and music

From fiction to dictionaries and from poetry to fairy tales, books are always popular. Please donate your novels, children’s books or any other books you’d like to pass along to a new reader.

We can also use DVDs, CDs and vinyl, either vintage or new.

You can bring them to your local charity shop as well as to one of our specialist charity bookshops.

“Why put that much stress on the environment? It’s nice to buy new things,but it is also important to donate where you can and not just throw things out.

Furniture and curtains

We can often accept donations of furniture – please contact your local shop first to check. This includes sofas, chairs, tables and desks.

You can also donate good quality curtains, tablecloths, cushions, duvet covers and other soft furnishings.

Both our specialist furniture and electrical shops, or your local charity shopcan accept donations of furniture.

Electronics

We can sell electrical items like your second-hand TV, radio, DVD player, clock and other electronic gadgets. We can use both vintage and new, boxed items.

Dishes and kitchenware

We can sell donated pots and pans, dinner sets, plates, bowls, teapots and other kitchen items.Cutlery, cups and glasses are also always welcome.

We can’t sell sharp carving knives for legal reasons.

It was fun to chat with those who came in to donate their books, crockery and other household items.

• Read more about why Mellissa loves our charity shops

Gift Aid

You can help us raise an extra 25p for every £1 raised through the sale of anything you donate. Simply allow us to claim Gift Aidon the money we make when we sell them.

You can find your donor ID on your Give and Gain card.

Thank you for your donation!

How your donations help

Money raised from every charity shop donation, no matter how small, goes to help people in crisis in the UK and overseas.

• 50p could buy a foil blanket for someone evacuated from their home due to a fire or flooding
• £6 could help an asylum seeker buy a pack of nappies for their baby or other basics no one should go without
• £20 could provide five blankets to families taking shelter during a crisis overseas
• £33 could provide 40 chlorine tablets to ensure that families have access to clean, safe water after fleeing their homes

Find out more about how your donations help people in crisis.