At most charity shops you simply have to bring your donation to the shop, but you should call first and check before bringing in any large item such as furniture (to make sure they have space) or electrical appliances (to make sure that the shop has a qualified technician to test the goods). To find your local charity shop you can have a look on the high street or use the red Pages. (Some of the websites of charities running shops contain listings of shops locations.) Charity shops also collect cash donations for their parent charities. 

Click here to see the 5 things you should think about when giving to a charity shop.

We are not able to tell you if the shops in your area will collect from you, however, you can find the contact details of the shops in your area on our Find a Shop page and telephone those shops to ask if they will be able to collect from you.  If there are no shops in your area that accept furniture or electrical goods, you may wish to contact a member of the Furniture Reuse Network (see www.frn.org.uk for further information) or your local council to see if they have a collection facility particularly for good quality items that can be used to equip starter homes for people being housed for the first time.

The Association has produced a book which gives information and advice on all aspects of setting up and running a charity shop from basic information such as finding the right location and premises to managing shop managers and marketing the shop. Setting Up and Running Charity Shops - an Essential Guide is the definitive source on how to get started and succeed in the charity retail sector.  Click here for more information or to order.

Setting up and running a charity shop is a complex undertaking. You will find that you are faced with the same issues as someone running a small business - such as security, health & safety and trading law - as well as issues specific to the sector, such as where to get your stock and your volunteer workforce. There is more detailed information in the guidance on the KnowHow NonProfit website.

You can also find information about the legal aspects of trading as a charity (and setting up a charity) from the Charity Commission (tel - 0870 333 0123)

Click here to find out more about volunteering.  If you would like to arrange a volunteering placement, the best way to do this is to contact a local charity shop directly.  You can find the charity shops in your area on our Find a Shop page.

The best way to deal with your complaint is to raise your issues with either the shop manager or the charity's head office. The charity will want to be made aware of your complaint and are the only people able to deal effectively with the problem. You can find contact details of the head offices of most of our member charities through their websites - click here for the links to our members' websites. If the contact details are not listed and the charity is a member of the Association, please contact us on the number/email address below.

Firstly, look for a Charity Registration number. This is not the same as the Company Registration number. If you can't find one or you are still not sure, call the Charity Commission on 0870 333 0123, and ask them to help you. The Charity Commission regulates all the charities in England and Wales. For charities in Scotland contact the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and for charities in Northern Ireland contact the Department for Social Development. Many charities running shops will also carry the Association's Code of Charity Retailing Logo.

There is a lot more information on all these issues on our Frequently asked questions pages (click here).