Caitlin Brennan, manager of the Golden Oldies charity shop in Keynsham, Somerset, has exposed some of the most unusual and unusable donations her shop receives – from dirty underwear to clothes infested by rodents. She reports that more than half of the donated items are either mouldy, damaged, or otherwise unsellable.
Among the odd donations are a dirty frying pan, unwashed underwear, ruined vinyl records, tracksuit bottoms torn across the crotch, and even a mouldy sweet necklace. Caitlin has shared these surprises on her TikTok account, where her posts have gone viral, attracting over 130,000 views.
“It’s bizarre,” Caitlin admits. “I once found a shoe filled with seeds because something had been living inside it—it was a lady’s ankle boot.” She also notes that some discarded items at the local recycling center where she works part-time are in better condition than what she receives in donations.
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Many donors, Caitlin suggests, are simply too lazy to dispose of their rubbish properly. “At the tip, people dispose of things correctly, but here, they just drop off everything that should be taken to the tip,” she explains.
Despite the challenges, Caitlin emphasizes that the charity remains grateful for all genuine donations. She urges donors to consider their contributions carefully by asking themselves, “Would I be happy giving this to a friend? If not, it’s not suitable for the charity shop.”
She also encourages people to explore specialized recycling options for certain items that charities can’t handle, like prescription glasses, which can be taken to opticians such as Boots.
Through her TikTok platform, Caitlin connects with other charity shops facing similar issues, highlighting the widespread challenge of managing excessive waste with limited resources and volunteers. Her goal is to educate the public on what is appropriate to donate to help reduce waste and improve the quality of contributions.