Charities taking donations?

I have some new and nearly new shoes and clothes (some with tags) and I wondered if anyone knew of any homeless or refugee charities currently taking donations?

Maybe Lewisham Donation Hub? Don’t think they have a website, but they do have a facebook page.

They reopended recently after being somewhat controversially closed for covid reasons, and happily now back up and running. Might be worth asking what they need before heading down.

Thanks for that! I’ll contact them

I’m not on Facebook so if you do find out what they are after would you mind posting some info? Can’t see too much without having a log in. Thanks.

I’m not on Facebook either so I have the same problem!

Hopefully this has some useful info:

Screenshot_20210218-1852461440×2811 635 KB

I was going to take some things down there as well. It says they are only taking donations on a Sunday?

That is correct, the Facebook page lists only Sunday’s 13:00 - 16:00 as open. They have an Instagram too, but I can’t find any further details there…

@GillB @Pea and @smiris they put a post out a few hours ago as below - (I think they are a bit snowed responding to updates generally) - it does say they are there each day so if near it might be possible to drop by and ask. Part of their update on the FB page is below:

DYNAMIC DONATIONS

We’ve relied for many months on one donation day per week. As your support has grown, so has the feeling that we must adapt (or be drowned under the ever increasing tide of goodwill ).

We will therefore be changing how we operate to allow certain donation types to come in regularly (which will then join our usual churn of quarantined items). This should help us keep things more manageable…especially given that we are on site every day. It will also allow us to dynamically respond to urgent requests…

With that in mind, in the coming day or two we will put a new pinned post at the top of our FB page. It will change every day, as requests are met, and new ones added. Please keep an eye on it - you may just make someone’s day…

Thanks for that. I’m like @Pea though & not on Facebook, so I’ll just keep an eye out for whenever I go to Lewisham or for anymore posts like this.

Sorry @Pea , @GillB @smiris I meant to check this yesterday for updates but missed it - not sure if any of you made it down, but they posted yesterday a list of things they needed, I’ll try and repost it below, I’d assume it will be the same next week but will try and remember to check;

DONATION DAY IS ON…(1-4PM, SUNDAY)

WHAT WE NEED

As ever, please only give what you’d be happy to receive. Also, please label as much as possible, especially clothes ! Doing so ensures we have more chance of being able to meet people’s specific needs, even when donations have yet to be fully sorted.

FOOD, TOILETRIES, CLEANING & SANITARY (Please scroll to the section below this one for a full list of what we need urgently)

WINDOWS 7+ LAPTOPS (our most important and transformative donation type (we also need 2.5" + 3.5" HDD’s).

TABLETS & PHONES (if donating a smartphone, PLEASE check you’ve turned off iCloud or similar. We have a lovely rose coloured iPhone SE in pristine condition that is a paperweight right now…and plenty of other phones in the same state!)

BICYCLES (we are getting multiple requests per day for bicycles, particularly from newly arrived refugees. If you have one or more sitting idle, please bring it down)

NAPPIES (We are now totally depleted on all sizes from 4 and above! We also have no baby wipes)

MEN’S CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR: (Supplies now totally exhausted. Quality clothing, footwear, gloves, new underwear & socks all welcome. But MUST be labelled)

CHILDREN’S CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR (All supplies are getting low…but especially teenager clothing & footwear of all ages. Clothing MUST be separated & labelled according to age/size)

WOMEN’S CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR (We are still running down our supplies, but are happy to take a more limited quantity today…especially jackets, jumpers, jeans, quality footwear & bras

SGL/DBL/KING BEDDING SETS (Must be unstained and labelled with size. We really don’t want to make any more grizzly discoveries when sorting homeware! )

CLOTHING RAILS: (We need ROBUST industrial clothing rails…)

OTHER ELECTRICALS & APPLIANCES: (We have a growing list of those needing washing machines/dryers. We also need fridge freezers, electric freestanding ovens, heaters, TV’s, DVD players, hoovers, games consoles (especially PS3/Xbox 360 and above - which can double as homeschooling devices), smart sticks, microwaves, toasters, kettles, blenders)

KITCHENWARE (we always need big pots & pans, cutlery, crockery, chopping boards and pretty much everything else that goes into a kitchen!)

PRAMS (excellent condition and CLEAN, with fully working brakes & all parts including the safety bar. We have particular need for a double buggy for a mum who has given birth to twins!)

TRAVEL SUITCASES & SHOPPING TROLLEYS (the load luggers of choice for the people visiting us. We can take an unlimited quantity of these! Particularly in demand amongst newly arrived refugees into this and surrounding boroughs)

BACKPACKS, (We are seeing a significant increase in those sleeping on the streets. Hiking backpacks give us a chance to provide big quantities of support until those living on the streets can find more sheltered accommodation)

Toys or books Furniture Children’s bedding

(We need to create additional space for quarantined items so are running down donation types of this kind)

We are planning to separate your clothing donations into trays before it enters our unit, ready for quarantine. So please make sure your donations are separated by gender & size, and clearly labelled.

//

FOOD/SANITARY/CLEANING

We are going to be creating a fundraiser in the next couple of days that will help ensure we always have the absolute essentials ‘in stock’. In the meantime, we really need;

FOOD

Onions // carrots // potatoes // apples // oranges // unripe bananes // UHT milk // Basmati rice // tinned soups // chick peas // cooking oil // butter // cereal // nuts // tuna & mackerel (tins) // couscous // lentils // coconut milk // stock cubes // crisps & treats // vitamin enriched fruit drinks // flour // cheese // ketchup & mayonnaise // peanut butter // coffee & tea // eggs

SANITARY ️

Sanitary pads // nappies, sizes 4-7 in particular (which are totally depleted) // baby wipes //

TOILETRIES

Toothpaste // toothbrushes // shower gel (including the little ones you get in hotels etc!) // deodorant // shampoo // conditioner // mouthwash // soap

HOUSEHOLD

Toilet roll // bleach // dish scourers // washing machine detergent // hand soap

//

RANDOM REQUESTS

We always get unusual requests - and thanks to our amazing network, we have a really good track record of meeting them.

TRAVEL SUITCASES & IKEA BAGS (helps people to lug loads around the borough and beyond)

FOOD BAGS (we’ll be buying some more this week - but as ever, we’d rather use things that are already in existence rather than create more demand. A size that’s suitable for a Gail’s loaf would be ideal!)

DOUBLE BUGGY FOR NEWBORN TWINS (to help support a lovely family that’s had two new additions in the past week)

PAT ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING MACHINE (we need a calibrated machine urgently…read why at the following link https://bit.ly/39AA6xG)

USB MICE (We have 30+ desktops lots of keyboards, & just 1 remaining wired mouse…)

USB-C & LIGHTNING PHONE CABLES

HAIR CLIPPERS (help us tame the barnet’s of SE London )

WATERPROOF TROUSERS & JACKET (Robust waterproof trousers - 34", robust XL waterproof jacket, outdoor jumper & size 8 outdoor boots…for a guy called Mehdi who is having to buy cheap options for the limited amount of work he gets - only for them to wear out quickly)

From tomorrow onwards, our ‘random requests’ will be included in a pinned post at the top of our Facebook page. If we get a random/urgent request, we’ll edit the post. Once it’s fulfilled, we’ll remove it

//

HOW TO FIND US

You can find us at Unit D in the colourful building opposite the Fox and Firkin pub in Lewisham.

Lewisham Donation Hub, Unit D, Place Ladywell, 261 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6AY

Access to our unit is via the bollards at the beginning of Longbridge Way (next to the fire station). If you drive past them, you’ll be in a loop of the one way system…

Thank you for sharing this. This is so helpful for those of us not on Facebook.

Yes thank you for this. No I didn’t get down there yesterday.

This is great. Thanks. A friend took some things down there yesterday including my items. It seems to be good quality clothing they’re most in need of, as well as sanitary items. Thanks again

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