The 'Give with Care’ campaign is launched this month and aims to help those who want to give to charity identify the genuine charitable appeals amongst the many leaflets and bags that get dropped through their letter boxes.
The Association of Charity Shops estimates that between £2.5 and £3 million is lost to charities through theft and people mistakenly giving unwanted clothing to commercial companies in the belief that they are giving to charity.
The campaign includes four top tips for spotting a genuine charity clothing collection:
* Does the sack or leaflet say the collection is for a registered charity? If so, what's the registered charity number? Call 0845 3000 218 or visit the register of charities to check that it's genuine.
* Does it only give a registered company number? Check that a registered charity is also involved with the collection.
SAMPLE PAGES - A Guide To Charities Starting Social Firms.pdf