Charities call for unwanted gifts

DUBLINERS are being urged to donate unwanted Christmas
gifts to charities to help make up for a shortfall in donations.

Enable Ireland say they suffered an average decrease
in donations of 30 per cent nationwide in 2011 and are calling on members of
the public to do a post-Christmas clear out and donate unwanted goods to Enable
Ireland shops as a matter of urgency.

The 30 per cent reduction applies mainly to textile
bank donations, which generate over 60 per cent of stock donated to Enable
Ireland. Other methods of stock collection include donations directly to the
charity’s 21 shops, house collections and corporate and school Bring Back Days.

While in store donations have increased slightly and
house collections are steady, these sources have not compensated for the drop
in textile bank donations.

Enable Ireland says every donation helps it raise
funds for disability services. A minimum of e170,000 each month is required
from retail and fundraising activities just to maintain its services.

The charity is now making an urgent appeal to the
public for clothes, shoes, accessories, linen and bric-a-brac.

“We urgently need stock,

? said retail operations
manager, Ann Kelly.

“We have seen our stock decline by up to 50 per cent
in the last year in some areas and we are asking the public to make a special
effort to donate clothes and other items.

“In the last year the Enable Ireland shops have
contributed nearly e1million to support disability services for children and
adults in local communities.

“With other sources of funding in decline, we are
relying more than ever on the public to continue their support and donate their
unwanted items to our shops.

?

Meanwhile Age Action is also appealing to the public
to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to provide desperately needed funds for its
work with older people.

“We all get gifts that are not suitable,

? said Age
Action spokesman Eamon Timmins.

“Whether it is a jumper or blouse, a piece of
jewellery or a DVD, rather than leave it sitting in the bottom of the wardrobe
for the next 12 months, please consider donating it to an Age Action shop.

“We can transform an unwanted gift into much needed
funds which will enable us continue our work with some of Ireland’s most
vulnerable older people.

?

Age Action say fundraising is one of the greatest
challenges it’s facing over the coming 12 months, and its two charity shops
provide a vital source of income.

“For the last five years the general public has
responded generously to our unwanted Christmas gift appeal,

? Mr Timmins said.

“Despite the recession, people continued to donate to
our shops throughout the year. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has
donated or purchased items at our shops during 2011.They provide vital funding
for Age Action’s work.

?

There are a limited number of goods that Age Action
shops cannot accept. These include food, perishable items, alcohol and toys
that don’t have the CE mark.

Unwanted gifts are being accepted at Age Action shops
in Dublin at 30/31 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2 and 48 Upper George’s Street,
Dun Laoghaire. For enquiries email info@ageaction.ie or phone 01-4756989.