Good donations
Clean clothing
All clothes are accepted, whether they are for men, women or children, but they must be clean and in good condition.
Jewellery
We all like a bit of bling, and charity shops are no exception.
Wedding dresses
Oxfam has 11 bridal departments that are all happy to take on clean and undamaged bridal gowns and other wedding outfits.
Bric-a-brac
Pots, pans, crockery and other household items are all welcome - as long as they are not broken and do not have bits missing.
Computer games
All computer and video games must be checked and in good condition.
Music and videos
CDs and vinyl are welcome as long as they are unscratched. Videos must carry a classification category.
Bad donations
Damaged clothes and fur
For obvious reasons, individual shoes don't sell well, nor do damaged, spoiled or mouldy clothes. Like most charities, Oxfam does not sell fur.
Adult videos
Certificate 18 films cannot be sold in charity shops - but people still try to donate them.
Medical appliances
One shop of veterinary charity PDSA managed to sell a set of false teeth and a glass eye for a fiver, but generally such items are not wanted.
Spectacles
Some recycling centres have separate bins for specs and sunglasses with prescription lenses. It is best to use these rather than try to offload them at charity shops.
Advice books
Oxfam doesn't sell books on tax, law, first aid, investment or exercise as they can be misleading. But it does like the classics and popular fiction.
Safety devices
Second hand arm bands, car seats, bike helmets, and even pushchairs are difficult to shift.
Alcohol and cigarettes
Charity shops are not licensed.
Gas and oil appliances
Cookers, paraffin heaters and oil lamps are also better to recycle than donate.
Donate with caution
Some electrical goods
Only a handful Oxfam's shops are licensed to sell electrical goods, so check first.
Toys
Toys are OK, but they must be safe. They have to be certified as non-flammable as well as being clean, non-toxic and not capable of spreading disease.
Some furniture
Most Oxfam shops don't take furniture, and the ones that do only take stuff that has a label showing that it complies with 1988 fire regulations.
Cosmetics
Charity shops are happy to take any unwanted make-up from you, as long as it hasn't been used or passed its sell by date.
