A HEART charity is warning people in North Yorkshire looking to donate items to good causes that they could inadvertently be lining the pockets of commercial collectors.

The British Heart Foundation has launched a campaign aimed at making people aware that as little as four-and-a-half per cent of the income from a doorstep collection carried out by such companies can make its way to a charity – while the firm itself keeps as much as 60 per cent.

It has unveiled its drive as figures show donations to charity shops are falling, saying donors must have the full facts about where their items are going.

Regional manager Debbie Boylen said: “The BHF carries out doorstep collections using clearly-identified vans and drivers, and 100 per cent of the proceeds stay with the charity.

“In contrast, some charities form partnerships with commercial companies who collect door-to-door. The company keeps all the donated goods and then re-sells them for profit, mostly to overseas markets, before then making a royalty payment to the charity. If you donate a dress to a BHF charity shop which you bought for £40, in good condition, we can sell it for £10. If that dress is resold by a commercial collector, your chosen charity will get less than £1. Although this is a legal way to raise money, too often charities are short-changed.”

The campaign is being backed by the Association of Charity Shops.

Its advice is to donate to charities which organise their own collections, ask collectors for identification and check collection bags and leaflets for information on how much of the proceeds go to good causes.