AN elderly man is warning residents in Alton to be wary of a "misleading" leaflet claiming to be collecting on behalf of third world countries. The pink leaflet, which has a heart in the background, dropped through 86-year-old Colin Kinloch's letterbox last week and he immediately assumed it was from a charity, but after reading the small print he discovered it was actually from profit-making firm Cycle Aid Ltd. The firm - already under investigation by South Gloucestershire trading standards chiefs - urged householders through its leaflet to donate unwanted clothing for needy people in the third world. The leaflet said: "We urgently need clothing that you and your family may never wear again - maybe it's no longer your size, are out of fashion or out of style - which will be carefully sorted and sent to the third world to those in need...your help will be very much appreciated." The firm does not provide its own bags for the collections but asks householders to do that as well. Mr Kinloch, of Curtis Road, told The Herald: "I would like to bring to everyone's attention a highly misleading leaflet put through my letterbox this afternoon. The leaflet from Cycle Aid Ltd, asks householders to donate unwanted clothing and is clearly intended to give the impression that it is a charitable collection on behalf of needy people in the third world. "However, a disclaimer, in very small print that can only be read using a powerful magnifier, indicates that Cycle Aid Ltd, is a commercial company which will presumably make a profit for its shareholders out of the clothing donated. "There are several charity shops in the town which raise funds by selling unwanted clothing. I hope your readers will support them and not Cycle Aid Ltd." Trading standards officers at Hampshire County Council have received up to 10 calls from residents in North Hampshire in the last week regarding the leaflet. But trading standards manager Andrew Slee said the firm was not doing anything wrong. "People might look at it and assume it is a charity collection when it is not, but if you read on you will see it is not," he said. "They are well aware that they cannot claim to be a charity when they are not and the vast majority of them include the information that they are not a charity. It is quite clear if you read the whole document. It is perfectly legal. "I think people should be aware that they really need to read these things carefully if they are concerned that their unwanted items should go to charities. The majority of the 'high street' charities tend to leave the plastic bags for you - these people just leave the leaflets." Neil Derrick, senior enforcement officer with South Gloucestershire trading standards, said: "Our advice is to steer well clear of this particular collections operation and to take your unwanted clothing to your local charity shop. "There are other similar flyers in circulation at the moment and we are currently investigating them as well. "Unfortunately there are people who are prepared to profit from the benevolence of the general public and they make their actions look as though they are for charitable purposes, when, in fact, they sell on the collected goods. "A small percentage of the proceeds may be donated to charity, but that is not what the flyers are informing people." Cycle Aid Ltd is, in fact, a genuine firm based in Preston but not in any way connected with the business of clothing collections. Cycle Aid Ltd actually specialises in cyclists' legal claims after accidents and the bogus firm has even reproduced its registered firm number on the flyers. Director Paul Darlington said he was shocked at the scam and was seeking to distance his company from it. He said: "There is no means of tracing anyone from these flyers. Unless we find someone, we are lost."
