Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) |
|
How can I donate furniture? |
 |
| I would like to donate an item of furniture. What do I have to do? | |
If you have good quality used furniture you no longer want, you can donate it to one of your local Furniture Re-use Projects. We will collect it for free and make it available to people who need it. Contact your nearest project. We will ask you about the items you have to donate and try to arrange a convenient time to pick them up from you. We won’t charge you for collections. Our trained staff will call at the appointed time and, provided it is of good quality, will collect the furniture and ask you to sign a form donating it to the project. It’s as simple as that – and you’ve helped local people, a local organisation and protected the environment! |
|
| top ^ | |
| How much notice must I give? | |
| Often we will need a week to ten days' notice, although on occasions we are so busy that it may be a little longer. If you wish to donate furniture to us, please leave yourself and us as much time as you can. | |
| top ^ | |
| What sort of things do you take? | |
| We take quality items. People who are in need should not have to have furniture in their home which makes them feel like second-class citizens. "Most furniture is manufactured to last a lifetime and as a result, furniture very rarely wears out". | |
| 'Sustainable Waste Management: The Stakeholders' Guide', Environment Council, June 2000 |
|
| The projects take different furniture so check that they will take what you have. In general though, we take dining suites, tables, chests of drawers, dressing tables, sofas and armchairs, beds with or without mattresses, wardrobes, coffee tables and all sorts of wooden furniture. We are also interested in electrical items (like washing machines, cookers, etc which are in good working order please ask if they need minor repairs), bric-a-brac and other household effects. You may have other items you wish to donate; it's always worth asking us about them. | |
| top ^ | |
| I can’t store the furniture inside because I haven’t the space now. What if the furniture is outside? | |
| We need quality furniture for local people. If it is spoiled by the elements or scratched and rusty, we can’t take it. The best thing is to ring the projects. Please contact us as soon as you know you’re going to dispose of it and keep it under cover as long as possible if it will spoil outside. If you have to put it outside and you can’t use your shed or garage, please cover it with strong plastic sheeting, etc to protect it. If it is not reusable, please contact your local Council who will dispose of it for you. There may be a charge for this service. | |
| top ^ | |
| Are there any restrictions on what you will take? | |
This depends upon the project. Some don’t take certain electrical items though this may change in the future. There are other items that we cannot take due to health and safety laws. For example:
|
|
| top ^ | |
| What happens to furniture once it has been collected? | |
| Typically, the furniture is taken to one of our warehouses where people (particularly people on low incomes) can come along and choose what they would like to have for a small fee. The cost of the item is a contribution towards expenses and delivery is free. Some furniture is given away free to people, particularly if Social Services, Health Visitors, etc have referred a household in need of furniture. Some projects have workshops where trainees, whose work is carefully supervised, are learning to repair it. This furniture is then made available for sale to visitors to our warehouses and shops. | |
| top ^ | |
| Where does the money go? | |
| All of the projects are not-for-profit organisations, voluntary and community organisations. The money taken for furniture helps us to continue to provide our valuable services to the local people. | |
| top ^ | |
| Is there any other way I can help and get involved? | |
| Thanks! The best thing to do is to contact your local project. They always need donations but they may also be looking for a bit of volunteer support. Why not think about it? See what the volunteers do..... | |
| top ^ | |
What is the difference between furniture re-use and recycling? |
|
| Re-using means using furniture again in its current form or repaired slightly. It is quality furniture the projects collect and if it is not fit for re-use, they will not redistribute it or sell it on at low cost. Recycling means breaking items apart and making them into something different and then using them. For example, unusable furniture can be recycled into wooden pellets for use in school heating systems. | |
