Bin bags filled with unwanted items have piled up outside of a town's charity shop - which has been closed throughout the third national lockdown.
East Anglia’s Children's Hospice (EACH) has urged communities not to leave donations outside charity shops, after the clothes and children’s toys were found outside its Diss branch.
Lisa Greenacre, from Diss, first noticed donations outside the shop, on Chapel Street, a few weeks ago but as more kept appearing she posted on Facebook on Wednesday, March 3, to shame those who have discarded their unwanted items.
The 51-year-old said: “EACH have now got to pay to dispose of those things now. It’s not giving to charity; it's costing the charity to then get rid of the stuff dumped there.
“It is just laziness.
“Some of the bags have even been ripped open and donations have been left in the open.
“We are all in the same boat so just hold on until the shops reopen.”
EACH said it could not continue its vital work without people's generous donations, but until shops could reopen no staff would be on-site to accept them.
Sarah Throssell, EACH acting head of retail, said: “As in previous lockdowns, we are imploring people to hold on to their valued donations for us, if they possibly can.
“However, if you cannot hold on to them please do not leave them outside our shops.
“They will take time to clear, especially when bags are split from people having rummaged through them, and they are likely to become damaged and unsaleable.
“This will result in a disposal cost at a time when our fundraised and retail income has taken a significant hit.
“Staff who run our network of 40-plus shops across the region are currently on furlough, so there is no-one to take in donations.
"We have managed to clear what was left at Diss, filling three large commercial bins. I am pleased to say this was a fairly isolated incident and that the folk of Diss and all of East Anglia have generally been incredibly supportive in holding on to donations for us.”
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