FOR the past few months, Phyllis Tuckwell has been plagued by a spate of fly-tipping, costing the charity hundreds of pounds in rubbish disposal fees.

Phyllis Tuckwell, which is the only adult hospice care service caring for patients and their families affected by a serious progressive illness, across the whole of West Surrey and part of North East Hampshire, has reported numerous occasions in recent weeks where people have left items outside its shop in Ash, overnight or at the weekend.

Staff at the shop regularly arrive to find the entrance littered with unsaleable, weather-damaged items because they have been left outside overnight. These items then have to be taken to the dump, costing the charity hundreds of pounds in disposal fees.

The charity acknowledges that some of the items were probably intended as donations, but the bags which they were left in have subsequently been rummaged through by others, who have taken anything of value and left the remnants scattered outside the shop, where they have become wet and dirty and not fit for sale.

Barry Young, retail operations manger, said: “I really cannot stress the number of issues caused by people leaving items outside our shop. I would appeal to anyone wishing to support a charity to only leave items at their chosen shop during opening hours, when donations can be taken inside and processed in the appropriate way.”

The hospice care charity has to take unwanted goods to the tip using their own vans, thereby taking staff and vehicles away from the money-raising tasks which they should be undertaking, costing Phyllis Tuckwell both time and money.

Mr Young added: “Because the items are left on our premises, we are then liable for their disposal. Most of them are too large for our bins, so over the last three months we have had to make several trips to the dump using our vans, costing us time and fuel in addition to the £150 minimum fee which we are then charged at the dump.”

Phyllis Tuckwell has to raise over £15,000 a day to be able to provide the care and support which it gives to patients and their families every day, free of charge. It is therefore always in need of donations and is very grateful to those who donate their unwanted items to its cause.

However, it asks if people could please do this through the proper channels, either by bringing their items to the hospice care shops during opening hours which are Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4.30pm, or by using Phyllis Tuckwell’s furniture collection service, where furniture items are first inspected then collected by the charity from donors’ premises. For more information call 01252 719917.