Donate items

Donation Bags are available in every CHSW shop and at hospice receptions, so feel free to pick one up on your next visit. You could even take a few and give them to family and friends.

You can deliver your donations to one of our hospices or to one of our shops. Alternatively, if you have large items of furniture, large quantities of donations or cannot transport your donations, we can arrange to collect them from you. Please telephone us on 01271 325 270 to make arrangements.

We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations and your unwanted items can help us continue this important and vital work. Our shops are always in need of good quality items to sell and welcome your donations, so the next time you have a spring clean or house clearance, please remember Children’s Hospice South West may be able to benefit from your unwanted items. For more information on how to donate to our charity shops please contact your local shop.

Household and furniture

• Beds including divan and electric beds
• Blinds
• Flat packed furniture (even if assembled)
• Furniture
• Glass TV stands
• Large play equipment (indoor/outdoor)
• Light fittings (fixed appliances which need wiring by a competent person)
• Pianos
• Pillows and duvets.

Electrical items

• Computers
• Electric blankets
• Microwaves
• Shavers
• Sunbeds and tanning equipment
• TV boxes (such as Sky, Virgin, Freeview)
• VHS players
• White goods.

Sports equipment

• Bikes
• Buoyancy aids (unless brand new in box)
• Safety equipment (helmets, etc.).

Children's and baby items

We can accept donations of most children's items in our Little Steps shops

• Baby bouncers (hung from door)
• Baby walkers
• Car seats
• Cot mattresses (unless brand new)
• Hand knitted toys
• High chairs
• Magnetic putty
• Moses baskets and stands
• Potties
• Soft toys without CE marking.

Other items

• Firearms including air guns
• Food items
• Hot water bottles
• Knives
• Mobility aids
• Replica firearms

Any questions

If you’re still unsure, please contact your local shop and they will be able to help.

Although we really welcome your donations we ask that you please don't leave them outside the shop when we're closed.  Not only do we like to be able to thank you personally for bringing them in, but when bags are left outside overnight it can be problematic.

Bags outside a shop are a fire hazard, items are often stolen or they can simply be ruined by our great British weather! They cannot then be sold and we often have to pay to be dispose of them. Plus it all ads up to lots of extra hours of valuable volunteer time to sort through donations that then need to be got rid of. All of this means that it is of no benefit to us as a charity, and may even cost us!

We take great care to make sure we can raise funds from as many pre-loved items that are donated to us as possible, but there are some things that we cannot resell in our shops or raise money from in other ways.  There may be good reasons that you aren't able to drop off your donations when the shop is open which is why we try and have shops open at weekends. If you have a large collection of bags from a business or community group or house clearance we can arrange to come and collect them from you. But you'll understand that we ask for donations to be bought into us wherever possible to help us keep costs down of collections, so that more of the money we raise can go into funding the care at our hospices.

It's a sad fact that most items left outside charity shops when they are closed will be damaged in some way.