Hospice shops face daily fly-tipping

St Luke's Hospice has appealed to the public following persistent fly-tipping incidents at its shops across Harrow and Brent. Bags of clothing, furniture, and household goods are frequently left outside shop entrances, often overnight. The charity, which relies on donations to fund care for terminally ill patients, stated that these discarded items are often unsellable and result in disposal expenses.

Sharon DeFreitas, retail operations manager at St Luke's Hospice, explained that items left on pavements cease to be donations and become rubbish. "We can’t use it, we can’t sell it, and we have to pay to remove it," Ms DeFreitas said. "Every bag left outside drains resources that should be helping to fund hospice care."

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Harrow Weald shop most affected

The problem has become especially acute at the charity's Harrow Weald shop, where substantial quantities of items have been found scattered across the pavement. Weather damage and contamination by animals often render these items unusable. Bags can be torn open, scattering contents and creating an unsafe environment, according to Ms DeFreitas.

Ms DeFreitas added that the fly-tipping diverts staff and volunteers from their primary duties. "It’s a cost to us in terms of waste disposal, but it’s also a cost in staff and volunteer time," she stated. "Instead of serving customers, sorting donations and raising money for patients and families, they’re having to clear fly-tipping from outside our shops."

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The hospice is urging donors to bring items during shop opening hours and hand them directly to staff. "We want your donations. We just need them to reach us safely so we can turn them into money for hospice care," Ms DeFreitas said.

St Luke's Hospice also promotes its "Bag your Rag" campaign, encouraging donors to separate clean but unwearable clothing into bags marked "rag" for textile recycling. For larger items like furniture and electrical goods, the charity offers collections if arranged in advance. Enquiries can be made by calling 020 8909 2311 or emailing furnituresales@stlukes-hospice.org.