Since the economy took a turn for the worse, charities across the UK have struggled to make ends meet and continue to support the most vulnerable members of our society. Falling disposable incomes have caused many who donated on a regular basis to withdraw their financial support out of necessity, and similarly clothing contributions have plummeted as consumers “make do” with their old wardrobes.
However, Oxfam may have hit upon an incentive that will benefit both the charity itself and the people who wish to donate unwanted items to its UK stores.
Under the “Tag Your Bag” scheme, those who choose to take their unwanted clothing, or other items, to Oxfam will be rewarded with Nectar points thanks to a first of its kind partnership with the loyalty programme. Nectar will start proceedings by giving people 100 points when they sign up to the scheme, and a further 2 points per £1 raised when donated items are sold.
Those who choose to sign up to the scheme by either visiting an Oxfam store or visiting their website will receive a welcome pack containing tags. These tags must be attached to each bag of unwanted items, which will then be processed and coded by employees to ensure they can be traced back to the donor.
Tag Your Bag is by no means a new idea, as it was first launched in 2009 – yet thanks to the financial pressures faced by many households it now seems more relevant than ever. So far, 600,000 people have signed up and dropped off bags of donations, while 678 out of Oxfam’s 700 UK stores are now participants in the far-reaching scheme.
Head of retail brand at Oxfam, Sarah Farquhar, says; “Oxfam is always looking for good-quality donations and this initiative will enable us to engage with an entirely new audience.
“Collecting Nectar points in this way is exclusive to us and we are aiming to raise millions of pounds from the scheme, which will go a long way in supporting our vital work fighting poverty around the world.”
Oxfam is also encouraging UK taxpayers to fill in Gift Aid declarations in order to raise the value of the clothes, DVDs and books they drop off. This HM Revenue and Customs scheme allows charity shops and organisations to reclaim the 25 per cent tax on donations, thus boosting the amount of money charities can distribute to those they help.
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