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Donations

Thank you for choosing to donate to Age UK Sheffield. Your generosity helps us support older people across Sheffield with vital services including free advice, dementia support, wellbeing activities, and help for those feeling isolated or unwell.

To help us make the very best use of your donations, please read the guidance below before visiting one of our shops or donation centres.

Before You Donate

Please take a moment to check the condition of your donated items. Where possible, wash clothing and textiles before donating.

  • We don’t have washing machines, repair tools, or storage space to clean or fix items
  • Please only donate items that are clean, dry, good quality, and ready to resell
  • If you are planning to bring a large number of bags, please call the shop ahead of time so our team can prepare
  • Please do not leave donations outside shops or donation points at any time

Read our full donation guide PDF

Things to Bear in Mind when Donating

Items We Can Accept

 All donated items must comply with current British Standards

  • Clean, wearable clothing, shoes, and accessories
  • Jewellery and handbags
  • Books
  • CDs and DVDs
  • Homeware and bric‑a‑brac
  • Unwanted gifts
  • Children’s toys with a CE label
  • Furniture in good condition (upholstered items must have a fire label attached)
  • Small electrical items with a plug attached and in full working order (less than 5 years old)

Items We’re Sorry We Can’t Accept

Furniture & Household Items

  • Upholstered furniture without fire labels
  • Duvets, pillows, cushions (unless brand new and sealed)
  • Carpets, rugs without labels, inflatable furniture
  • Glass TV stands, very heavy tables (marble/granite)
  • Large wardrobes, tall corner units

Baby & Children’s Items

  • Cots, highchairs, baby gates
  • Pushchairs, slings, baby bouncers
  • Car seats or booster seats
  • Toys without a CE mark

Electrical & Heating Items

  • White goods (fridges, washing machines, microwaves, etc.)
  • Electric blankets, showers, cookers, fires
  • Heaters, BBQs, fire pits
  • Electrical items over 5 years old or without CE marking

Sports, Safety & Mobility

  • Bikes, scooters, skates, helmets
  • Golf clubs, sports tables
  • Mobility aids, wheelchairs, scooters
  • Safety equipment and firefighting items

Health, Medical & Personal Items

  • Toiletries and cosmetics (unless new and sealed)
  • Medication, supplements, first aid kits
  • Blood pressure monitors
  • Dentures, prosthetics, prescription glasses

Miscellaneous

  • Food, drink, alcohol, tobacco products
  • Cleaning products, paint, solvents
  • Real fur, ivory, endangered species items
  • Adult materials and magazines

If you’re unsure about an item, please ask in‑store before donating.

Download our full donation guide PDF 

Which Days Do Our Shops Accept Donations?

Due to the high volume of generous donations we receive, some shops are unable to accept donations on certain days.

Donation Hours

Please bring your pre-loved items to our shops between 10.00 and 3.00 on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

  • Amount of donations and what we can and cannot accept: We are so grateful for donations that help us raise money for our charity, however, we can only accept a certain amount of donations, this is because we must wait 72 hours before opening any donated bags of items. Therefore, donations are limited to; A maximum of 2 bags per person/family, per day. (Bag sizes should be equivalent to; 2 black bin bags, 4 small shop carrier bags or 2 bags for life.)

 

  • Please do not leave donations outside our shop: Doing so puts our volunteers, staff, customers and the public at risk. We have even had people leave rubbish and recycling outside our shop. This means we have to use our limited time and resources to dispose of these at a time when safety must come first. We appreciate donations so much, but it is so important to donate in a safe and kind way by following our simple donation rules.

 Please check individual shop pages or contact your local shop before visiting to avoid disappointment.

 

Across the UK, charities are seeing a rise in low‑quality, broken, or unsellable donations. These items cost time and money to dispose of and reduce funds available for frontline services.

You can learn more here:

Charities report that handling unsellable items diverts funds away from helping people, which is why donation policies are becoming clearer and stricter.

Thank You

Thank you for supporting Age UK Sheffield and helping us manage donations in a safe, considerate, and sustainable way. Every donation helps us continue supporting older people across our city.