Residents are being urged to check for a registered charity number when donating through clothing banks, after unofficial banks have been spotted recently.
These unofficial, large, conspicuous green units have the words 'clothing bank' printed in bold on the front, alongside a smaller logo that reads 'People Unite'.
One was spotted outside The Ship Ashore in Willen, and an MKFM reporter went to take a look on Thursday morning (19/11).
The clothing bank alludes that it is collecting clothing items for a good cause due to the words 'supporting people in need' printed on the lid. But upon closer inspection, there is no registered charity number or any mention of where the donation will go.
These suspicious clothing banks were also spotted in neighbouring Northampton in 2019; they were
left on private land and later removed.
And now MKFM can confirm that these clothing bins spotted in Milton Keynes are not linked to a charity. According to Companies House, People Unite Clothing Limited is registered as a private limited company.
The company says the nature of the business is for the "collection of non-hazardous waste".
And the Government-run website says that the company has accounts overdue, and an active proposal to strike off.
It is not known what the company does with the clothing donations, but residents have alleged that this is a "scam".
People in Milton Keynes are now being urged to keep an eye out when donating clothing, or other household items, to charity through a clothing bank.
A spokesperson for Milton Keynes Council said: "We encourage people to look for a registered charity number before making a donation. The council is looking into whether these are on council land and will take appropriate action.”
© MKFM News 2020
