Outside Visit - Oxfam depot

Rotary Club of Birstall Luddites
Club outside visit to the Oxfam Charity distribution centre.
Luddites gathered outside the Oxfam depot at 10 am in Batley on Wed 14th Sept
for a visit organised by Rotarian John Broadhead.
Neve from Oxfam started the visit showing where the donated bags entered into the wharehouse and  sorted by experience staff into 20 different grades jumpers shirts blankets etc. The items not good enough  were moved for recyclig and shreading. African grade items were moved into Bales for shiping to African countries such as Gana and Siera Leoin where they are sorted by their staff creating employment in their countries

Neve said the depot had been in this large wharehoue for 9 years where if had been relocated 
from 2 smaller depots Huddersfield.
Donated goods are collected from Oxfam shops from a 100 mile radius by by the Oxfam transport team.
Goods that were not sold in two in the Oxfam shops in 2 weeks come to Batey.
Nothing is sent to landfill.
Neve explaid how clients were verified and questioned before they were allowed to recived goods.
Donations are sent to Red Cross Ukraine eg blankets.
Also the homeless were donated blankets
Before the Covid epidemic redundancies 100 tons per week were procesed this as fallen to now 30 tons but is rising again.
M&S shipments donations can contain valuable items summer dresses and even a cashmire item.
Good items are selected and moved to the On line section where repaires and improvements are made they are then photographed and entere the ebay ON line shop.
50 to 200 items are sold each week and every morning items packed and dispatched.
Voluntires and retirees help in the On line shops also university graduated help to forward their studies.
Neve said the Salvation Army are try to set up a simular centre.
Neve told of the pop up shops they run at Glastonberry and other pop concerts where wellys, tents are supplied and sold.
Neve said the made 4 million pounds in gift aid.

Oxfam ON LINE SHOP

Facebook Oxfam Batley