Donating goods to charity .......getting people to pick stuff up ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

They turned up at my mums today ,( pre booked) took what they could use , they are fairly strict in what they want, which is fair enough. Both myself and my partner wanted my late mums possessions to be recycled where possible , had to be a charity and homeless was top of the list.
Filled a LWB van with anything that may have been of value or useful and headed into Barry which apparently has 17 charity shops of one kind or the other..
After knocking on half a dozen doors , they didn't even want to see what we had , they are all jam packed, the council shop tomorrow in Lamby way , failing that its a skip . What a sign of the times.

I assume lockdown has led to lots of people getting rid or wanting to get rid of stuff after death in the family , moving etc and suddenly these places have been overwhelmed ?

Very few vans , not many drivers , not much storage space 🙄

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

shocking really, there's plenty of folks who would benefit from your kind gesture, back in the day Track2000 used to take furniture but i'm not sure if they're still going Jim, opposite Taff Embankment..

I used them many years back , by Penarth Rd Bridge

[Tuerto]

The other thing is that people who were homeless and then get themselves accommodation are entitled to a grant from the council in order to go out and buy their own furniture. They don't get much, but atleast they have a choice as opposed to getting what they're given. That's a good thing in my book and the costs would be similar to recieving second hand furniture.
It's low income families who probably need this stuff more than anyone else. If you're skint, £200 on a new bed for one of the kids is going to wipe you out.

[Citizen's Nephew]

The other thing is that people who were homeless and then get themselves accommodation are entitled to a grant from the council in order to go out and buy their own furniture. They don't get much, but atleast they have a choice as opposed to getting what they're given. That's a good thing in my book and the costs would be similar to recieving second hand furniture.
It's low income families who probably need this stuff more than anyone else. If you're skint, £200 on a new bed for one of the kids is going to wipe you out.

Yes, I agree with you regarding choice - it's a really good thing and essential for personal growth and self-esteem.

[Tuerto]

Yes, I agree with you regarding choice - it's a really good thing and essential for personal growth and self-esteem.

Absolutely, sometimes, we can assume what's right for a person that is in a less fortunate position. That's not a bad thing, it's a caring attitude, although still presumptuous in my opinion. I always feel for these poor people who are given countless Gregg's pasties and MC Donald's coffee when maybe a couple of quid would allow them some choice and independence. To me, it's sort of control tactics as the thought is that they may buy alcohol or drugs. Food is not a problem for homeless people in this city.

[Jimmy the Jock]

I used them many years back , by Penarth Rd Bridge

We used to maintain all their trucks for years .
They sold the land and it is flattened now.
Track 2000 is no more.

[IanD]

Pre-lockdown, Marie Curie shop in Whitchurch was excellent at taking house clearance items, sorting it and moving it on to wherever was best including their own premises. Parking round the back helped. The money raised really helps when needed most.

[Jimmy the Jock]

The other thing is that people who were homeless and then get themselves accommodation are entitled to a grant from the council in order to go out and buy their own furniture. They don't get much, but atleast they have a choice as opposed to getting what they're given. That's a good thing in my book and the costs would be similar to recieving second hand furniture.
It's low income families who probably need this stuff more than anyone else. If you're skint, £200 on a new bed for one of the kids is going to wipe you out.

Talking to the guy from Boomerang they have warehouses full of stuff. I guess there is plenty of choice , shouldn't we be encouraging upcycling good (at times expensive) furniture rather than binning it and buying new?

[dembethewarrior]

Absolutely, sometimes, we can assume what's right for a person that is in a less fortunate position. That's not a bad thing, it's a caring attitude, although still presumptuous in my opinion. I always feel for these poor people who are given countless Gregg's pasties and MC Donald's coffee when maybe a couple of quid would allow them some choice and independence. To me, it's sort of control tactics as the thought is that they may buy alcohol or drugs. Food is not a problem for homeless people in this city.

Me and my daughter used to ask people what they wanted for food, explain we were on the way shopping for other stuff and would bring it back on our way back down.
It never varied much, greggs, meal deal in Tesco, Fast food etc and the drinks rarely moved away from hot drinks and water.

[Tuerto]

Talking to the guy from Boomerang they have warehouses full of stuff. I guess there is plenty of choice , shouldn't we be encouraging upcycling good (at times expensive) furniture rather than binning it and buying new?

Yup, although i think that homeless people should have some choice in what they can have. Having some choice ans say on the matter is what i think is important, whatever the decision

[Tuerto]

Me and my daughter used to ask people what they wanted for food, explain we were on the way shopping for other stuff and would bring it back on our way back down.
It never varied much, greggs, meal deal in Tesco, Fast food etc and the drinks rarely moved away from hot drinks and water.

That's good in my opinion. Some people slap a steak bake in their lap. The intention is good, but i do believe that as a society we can all act and think in a presumptuous manner towards the poorest and least fortunate.

[dembethewarrior]

Yup, although i think that homeless people should have some choice in what they can have. Having some choice ans say on the matter is what i think is important, whatever the decision

Yes absolutely mate. Haven't been for a while now but we'd give grub, a drink and some change usually. Used to leave it all up to my daughter and we'd make small talk for a bit.

One thing I taught her is to always acknowledge people, if you can't five them anything don't do the quick shuffle past while looking at the floor so many do, a simple " sorry I don't have any change this time" is nicer than ignoring someone

[Tuerto]

Yes absolutely mate. Haven't been for a while now but we'd give grub, a drink and some change usually. Used to leave it all up to my daughter and we'd make small talk for a bit.

One thing I taught her is to always acknowledge people, if you can't five them anything don't do the quick shuffle past while looking at the floor so many do, a simple " sorry I don't have any change this time" is nicer than ignoring someone

Completely agree

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Completely agree

It may have changed now but in my days of working with the homeless the person who got somewhere to live ......very rare for the single homeless .......could apply for a loan from the social fund ......it was a loan .......it wasn't a grant and had to be paid back through a deduction from a person's benefits

Which is why most homeless people preferred to get basic furniture provision from charities rather than owe money

It wasn't really a question of choice

[Tuerto]

It may have changed now but in my days of working with the homeless the person who got somewhere to live ......very rare for the single homeless .......could apply for a loan from the social fund ......it was a loan .......it wasn't a grant and had to be paid back through a deduction from a person's benefits

Which is why most homeless people preferred to get basic furniture provision from charities rather than owe money

It wasn't really a question of choice

I'm sure they can receive a grant, Sludge, although i could be wrong.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I'm sure they can receive a grant, Sludge, although i could be wrong.

It may have changed now

[Citizen's Nephew]

I'm sure they can receive a grant, Sludge, although i could be wrong.

They can. For furniture, white goods, bed linen, kettle, toaster etc. But, it is generally applied for via someone from the Housing Association team and they apply for the grant. There won't be any choice as to what make it will be but they'll be new items.

There's huge merit in encouraging recycled/refurbished furniture and that's a good thing for everyone in society and shouldn't be used as some sort of guilt-trip for poor, homeless or disabled people i.e. be thankful for what we're offering.

For the record, I'm not a big fan of the charity business models and would prefer a more local community-based approach and local hubs for people to turn to. When it comes to recycling, if we can remove the status elements and accept that we don't need to be buying new all the time, then there isn't the stigma associated with 'second-hand'.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

They can. For furniture, white goods, bed linen, kettle, toaster etc. But, it is generally applied for via someone from the Housing Association team and they apply for the grant. There won't be any choice as to what make it will be but they'll be new items.

There's huge merit in encouraging recycled/refurbished furniture and that's a good thing for everyone in society and shouldn't be used as some sort of guilt-trip for poor, homeless or disabled people i.e. be thankful for what we're offering.

For the record, I'm not a big fan of the charity business models and would prefer a more local community-based approach and local hubs for people to turn to. When it comes to recycling, if we can remove the status elements and accept that we don't need to be buying new all the time, then there isn't the stigma associated with 'second-hand'.

It's a discretionary fund , you are not definitely entitled to money for either yourself or your advocate to buy white goods and furniture

So no certainty

Which is a step up from my day when it was a loan

[Citizen's Nephew]

It's a discretionary fund , you are not definitely entitled to money for either yourself or your advocate to buy white goods and furniture

So no certainty

Which is a step up from my day when it was a loan

That's correct.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

It's a discretionary fund , you are not definitely entitled to money for either yourself or your advocate to buy white goods and furniture

So no certainty

Which is a step up from my day when it was a loan

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-g...ssistance-Fund

[Citizen's Nephew]

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-g...ssistance-Fund

That's the one. I couldn't remember what it was called.