DON’T BE CONNED WHEN IT COMES TO NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS SAYS ANGUS MP

The New Year means New Year’s resolutions and where better to start than by getting rid of your 2006 fashion mistakes and unwanted Christmas presents for charity?  But Mike Weir MP has warned local householders to make sure their good intentions aren’t exploited by bogus charity clothing collectors. 

While many of the leaflets pushed through our doors asking for unwanted clothes give a strong impression that they are benefiting the poor and needy, many of them are delivered by businesses who sell our donations and pocket the proceeds themselves.

Mike Weir MP offers local people these tips from the Charity Commission to sort the bogus from the benevolent:

·        Does the leaflet say the collection is for a registered charity?  If so, what is the registered charity number – call 0845 3000 218 or visit the online register of charities at www.charitycommission.gov.uk to check that it’s genuine. 

·        Does it have a registered company number?  This just means that the organisation is registered with Companies House as a business not that it’s a charity.

·        Be suspicious of wording like “poor families in Eastern Europe/the Third World” – what is the name of the charity?

·        Does the leaflet give an address and a landline? Mobile phone numbers or none at all can be a sign the organisation doesn’t want to answer questions. 

Mr Weir MP added:

“Bogus clothing collectors fool the public and take money away from legitimate charities.  If you are in any doubt any leaflet coming through your door carry out these few simple checks.  Better still take your donations to one of the many excellent legitimate charity shops that operate throughout Angus.”