THE GENEROSITY of charitably-minded people could be being taken advantage of by a commercial company, according to local fundraisers.
Helpmates Ltd, a clothing collection company which sells clothing to people in the developing world, recently delivered collection bags in Colwyn Bay. Although the company does not claim to be charity, a message on the distributed bags states “God will reward you for your good hearts”.
Critics of the bag scheme are concerned that people could misconstrue this message, and think they are giving their clothes and household items to a charity, rather than a private company.
Helpmates was criticised for its activities in a 2007 House of Commons debate by Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson,
Sue Scott, volunteer co-ordinator for Dan’s Den, said that people could make the decision could instead make the decision to support charities in their area directly, by providing goods to them themselves.
She said “It’s convenience for a lot of people. But the public don’t seem to understand the bigger picture. If people bring items into the shop, they’re making a choice of where it’s going.
“If it’s on your doorstep it’s convenient, but the local community could lose out. Where do they want the benefits to go?”
Crispin Jones, Labour Candidate for Clwyd West, said “There are commercial companies who take household items and sell them abroad for profit.
“They make no contribution to the local economy and do not work for charities, but in some cases misrepresent themselves with confusing messages on their collection bags that are often mistaken for charities – but these are simply private companies selling clothes for profit.”
If you’re unsure whether a collection bag belongs to a registered charity or not, call the Charity Commission helpline on 08703 330 123.
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