General Chat

We have been trailing round the local charity shops for household articles for a close friend who has had to set up home.

No pans to be seen, no blankets or bedding. I seem to recall hearing that blankets and bedding are taken elsewhere.

Does anyone know?

Blankets sold nowadays are not the beautiful old woollen or honeycomb ones, but those made of flimsy man made fabcrics.

Do you know anyone who is on freecycle, Put a note on that.
Its great way in getting help for anything you need

Hope that will help

Hazelx

If you want to do it yourself, you will need to get a yahoo emali addy.

Just google freecycle

I'm after a decent sized tea pot.........all I can see are piddly little things!

Bob

Thanks for your reply Hazel. Yes, I am a freecycler. and have asked for bedding, but none has been offered.

Sometimes bulky items are too big to have 'on show' but it's worth asking in the various charity shops.

I have more often seen blankets in the smaller local charity shops, rather than the national ones. I bought a beautiful soft cellular one for our caravan. Looked as if it was hardly used. It washed up a treat and is very cosy.

Gwyn

Have you got any indoor boot sales your way?

Or look to see if got any jumble sales on this weekend.

Hazelx

l work for Oxfam and we have old blankets and pots and pans. l bought a brand new pillow the other day goose feather for £2.99.

Shame your not in Monmouth.

jude

I was in our local Bernardo's and saw a lady buying two large blankets in a bag for under £3 a couple of days ago .

As Gwyn says , it's always worth asking if the shop has any blankets out the back .

Again, thank you all for your comments. I am having another trek round the shops next week when we go to town, and will ask this time.

Angel - in a lot of towns/cities there are depots for everything and anything in good conditon that people give away and it is free to those beginning to set up home etc. Try Social Office/Town Hall. Someone must know. Definitely try freecycle it is amazing what people give away, all types of furniture, tvs, fridges, washers, etc.

I gave all our old blankets to a local charity who make regular runs to orphanges in the easten bloc countries.Mostly the ones they send too are in Romania

I was so overwhelmed to see these orphanges that often housed kiddies abanded cos they had disabilties and the struggle the staff had to care for them. Maybe thats why the local charity shops dont have blankets.
People too sometimes dont want bedding that they arent sure of.
Our local charity shop doesnt accept bedding just in case!!

Again, thanks folks for your comments. As I said, I had tried freecycle, and also the local charity shops. All my friend has to use are two blankets, not enought in this weather!

I have asked round my family, but they have no surplus. Will carry on looking.

If I have any half decent bedding to give away,I take it a local animal sanctuary ,the animals don't care if it is a bit tatty,and it is very usefull for any animals recovering from surgery/illness.

Perhaps that is where it is all going in your area.

Some times the charity don't like selling bedding unless it is in perfect condition so will sell it as animal bedding, so ask to see animal bedding aswell. We get quilts all sorts and will sell them if clean!!

jude

try asking for sleeping bags, istherea local chat group in the same Freecycle area? Perhaps you could ask there as well. In our area the local chat group is called "N----Cafe".
Do you hav eany churches doing an "out of the cold" programme? perhaps they also have connections to someone who could help.
Send a letter to the editor of local newspaper asking where one could look.
Hope this helps.

In our area we have a sort of depot where things are handed in so that when someone needs help setting up home, they can apply there. I think the things are free or very very cheap. Can you friend not ask for a crisis loan for DSS if she is on benefits or a low income, so she could get some things together?
Have you thought about ringing the Salvation Army, they usually have lots of stuff to help people on the streets etc so I am sure they would let your friend have a couple of blankets or something to use to stay warm.

Wish your friend the best of luck, if I was near you I could probably find a few things being such a hoarder but I don't think you are anywhere near Norfolk.

Lizx

Asda.s do really cheap duvets. I bought a king size 13tog one from there for £8.99 The outer covering is a bit large weaved but its fine for the spare bed. She could manage with two duvet sets one on and one in the wash as a starter

Hi Angelsong, there is a site called PRELOVED .comwhere you can buy sell get free stuff,if you are buying/selling there isnt a fee like ebay,free to join and people give stuff away for nothing.
have you looked in the section of the charity shops where they have curtains you can get crocheted blankets from that part new wool used to make them i buy them for my cats,you could sow them together if they arent big enough. hope this helps.

All of you, thank you so very much for all the helpful suggestions. My friend is working, but not on a decent wage. I am going round town again later this week - weather permitting. We have managed to get hold of a duvet from one of our local cheapy stores, but in this weather extra blankets are a necessity.

Thank you again, I never expected so much response, perhaps your suggestions will be useful to other folk in a similar position.

Angelsong

Thanks Sandie for the saucepan info. I decided to empty my caravan of cooking utensils, we shall not be using them until next April/May, and can re-stock gradually.