DRESSING UP CHARITY

13-01-2007

Had one of those charity leaflets through the door lately, asking you to donate your old clobber? Edward Cameron notices that these days those old clothes collections aren't even being disguised as charity.

"Urgently needed! Clothing collection. Your donations are sent to the third world countries to help clothe the poor."

Yep, another one.

I have to wonder if anybody actually bothers responding to these leaflets which seem to be shoved through Black Country letter boxes on an almost daily basis.

We all know the scam by now. You bag up your jumble, charitable type that you are, leave it outside with the poorly put-together leaflet and in a matter of days your old hoodie is meant to be on some poor little African child.

Except of course we all know that in reality the collectors go and flog your clobber in a second hand shop or stall and pocket the takings.

I used to not care. I only ever leave stuff out if I don't want it and if someone's willing to pick it up, wash it and sell it they may as well have a few quid. It keeps them out of trouble (maybe).

This week I got a similar leaflet from 'A&P Collection Ltd'. What struck me was the rather cute disclaimer at the bottom.

Please note A&P Collection Ltd is a commercial organisation, not a charity. This was followed by a company registration number which I checked with Companies House and it turns out to be bona fide.

This means they must be making some sort of profit, otherwise surely they would register as a charity, right? They even see fit to admit it.

I emailed the Yahoo address at the bottom (never a good sign of professionalism) to ask exactly what they wanted with my old zip up cardigan and a three-seasons old Wolves shirt but never got a response.

Strangely enough it was the attempt to be clever and above board that got me more annoyed than I ever am by the other dodgy, makeshift leaflets for collections.

Who are they to prey on the kindness of people who choose to donate their clothes to the Third World, rather than to charity shops like Oxfam or the PDSA?

I guess it's the price we pay for being such a wasteful society - one man's garbage is another man's gold.