We want you to be happy with your purchase, and we understand that sometimes things aren’t quite right. However, as a charity, The Kit Wilson Trust (KWT) does not offer cash refunds on items purchased at any of our shops or trading premises.

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If you change your mind about an item, we may offer an exchange or a credit note of equal value, purely as a gesture of goodwill. This is at the discretion of our shop staff and subject to the following conditions:

• The item must be returned within 28 days of purchase.

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• You’ll need to provide a valid receipt.

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• The item must be in the same condition as when purchased, with all original labels still attached.

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• Credit notes are valid for 12 weeks from the date of issue and can be redeemed in-store.

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If an item is faulty or not as described, we will of course offer a cash refund, in line with your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act (2015).

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Please note that many of our items are second-hand and may show signs of wear. It is the customer’s responsibility to check they are happy with the item’s condition before purchase.

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If you have any questions or concerns, our team will be happy to assist you in-store.

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Absolutely! We love receiving special donations that are perfect for our eBay store, things like collectibles, antiques, designer pieces, or unique treasures that might find a new home online.

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If you have items you think would be a good fit, please do get in touch with us first. This helps us make sure we’re ready to give your donation the best chance to raise as much money as possible.

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By choosing to donate for our eBay shop, you’re helping us reach supporters far beyond our local area. Thank you for being part of our community and helping animals in need!

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While we’re generally unable to offer a regular home collection service, we may be able to help in certain circumstances, especially if you have a large volume of quality items to donate.

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If you're unable to bring your items to one of our shops or our Donation Hub, please get in touch with us and provide some details about your location and the type and quantity of items you’d like to donate.

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Please familiarise yourself with the "Are there pre-loved items that you don't/can't accept?" section of the FAQs as we will not be able to collect anything from this list.

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We’ll do our best to assist where we can, depending on available resources and capacity at the time. Thank you so much for thinking of us!

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We kindly ask that donations are only dropped off during our official opening hours:

• Charity shops: 9:30am – 4:30pm
• Donation Hub: 10:00am – 4:00pm

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Leaving donations outside of these hours is not permitted. Unfortunately, items left outside are at risk of being stolen, damaged by weather and becoming unsafe to handle, which often forces us to dispose of them at cost to the charity. Additionally, supporters leaving bulk donations outside may be unintentionally committing fly-tipping, which is illegal and carries potential penalties.

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To ensure your generous donations are safely received and put to good use as intended, please plan your drop-off within our opening times. If you have a large volume of donations or require special arrangements, please contact us in advance so we can assist you.

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Thank you for helping us keep the donation process safe and respectful for everyone.

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At the moment, The Kit Wilson Trust does not operate a Retail Gift Aid scheme, so we’re unable to claim Gift Aid on goods donated for sale in our charity shops.

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We deeply appreciate all item donations and are exploring the possibility of introducing Retail Gift Aid in the future. In the meantime, if you would like to add Gift Aid to a monetary donation, you absolutely can, and it makes a big difference. You can make a donation of an amount of your choosing HERE.

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Gift Aid allows us to claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate, at no extra cost to you. Find out more about on our Gift Aid Page.

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Thank you for your generous support, whether financial or through goods, every donation helps us continue our work, caring for animals in need.

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Absolutely, we’d love to have you join our team!

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Our shop volunteers are at the heart of The Kit Wilson Trust and play a vital role in raising funds for our rescue animals. Whether you're helping on the tills, sorting donations, or creating eye-catching displays, your time and energy make a huge difference; in fact, the average shop volunteer contributes the equivalent of £20 per hour to our charity!

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You don’t need previous experience to volunteer, just a friendly attitude, reliability, and a passion for helping animals. We’ll provide all the guidance and support you need to enjoy a fun and rewarding experience.

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As a shop volunteer, you could get involved in:

• Operating tills and offering great customer service
• Sorting, preparing, and presenting donated stock
• Creating attractive shop displays and windows
• Helping with community events and in-store fundraisers

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We have opportunities available in our shops in Uckfield, Heathfield, and Hailsham.

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If you're looking for a way to give back, meet new people, and make a real difference, volunteering with us could be just the thing. You can register your interest by applying online HERE or pop into your local shop to find out more.

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We warmly and gratefully welcome donations of pre-loved goods to help raise funds for our animals and projects! You can drop off your donations at any of our charity shops or at our Donation Hub. Our shops are always in need of quality items to sell.

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If you’re donating a large volume of items, please contact us ahead of time so we can make sure we’re ready to receive everything. For bigger drop-offs, our Donation Hub is best equipped to accept and process larger volumes.

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Items we gratefully accept:

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• Clothing (all seasons, in clean and wearable condition)

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• Footwear (paired and in good condition)

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• Jewellery

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• Handbags, wallets & accessories

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• Household items & bric-a-brac

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• Light linens (e.g. clean bedding, towels, tablecloths)

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• Musical instruments

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• Toys & games (complete and in good condition)

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• Antiques & collectibles

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• Media: vinyl records, CDs, DVDs & video games

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• Books (all genres, in good condition)

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• Small electrical items (clean, working, UK 3-pin plug, safety labels intact)

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• Pet items: food bowls, leads, harnesses, collars, toys

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• Unused gift sets or toiletries (unopened and in date)

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• Thank you so much for thinking of us! By donating quality items, you’re helping us raise vital funds to care for the animals in our rescue centre, and we couldn’t do it without your support.
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We are so grateful for donations that we can sell to raise money for the animals in our care. However, there are certain items we’re unable to accept due to health and safety regulations, UK legislation, and trading standards.

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When donating, it's very important to avoid bringing items on the list below. Unfortunately, we cannot sell or repurpose these, and disposing of them sustainably comes at a significant cost to the charity, money we would much rather use to help our animals.

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Condition guidelines

For the same reasons as above, it's also important that your donations arrive in good, saleable condition and are not broken or display heavy wear.

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If you’re ever unsure or you have an item of particular value that you feel that KWT may benefit from, please don’t hesitate to contact us before your visit.

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Items we cannot accept

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Furniture & Homeware

• All furniture, including garden furniture
• Blinds & Curtain rails
• Large rugs & carpets
• Mattresses
• Used duvets and pillows
• Cushions without fire safety labels

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Electrical Appliances

• Large appliances (fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers)
• Televisions
• Lawn mowers and garden power tools
• Microwave ovens
• Heavily used kitchen appliances (toasters, slow cookers, kettles)
• Power tools without instructions
• Electric blankets
• Personal shavers
• Light fittings
• Any mains-powered electrical items without a UK standard 3-pin plug
• Storage heaters and fan heaters
• Oil or gas-filled heaters
• Lightbulbs

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Children’s Items

• Car seats and booster seats
• Cots, travel cots, mattresses, and accessories
• Baby bouncers and papooses
• Children’s bicycles
• Breast pumps, sterilisers, and baby monitors
• Soft toys without CE safety labelling

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Hazardous & Restricted Items

• Firearms or weapons of any kind
• Fireworks
• Flammable liquids
• Solvents and solvent-based products

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Consumables

• Alcohol*
• Perishable food and drinks*
• Tobacco, nicotine, and vaping products
• Any medication

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*Unless donating as part of fundraising activity

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Animal-Related Products

• Items made from animal materials (fur, bone, ivory, horn, reptile skin)
• Animal cages and terrariums (except dog crates)

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Safety & Mobility Equipment

• All helmets (Sports, equestrian, motorcycle)
• Sports safety gear (shin pads, harnesses, etc.)
• Buoyancy aids
• Second-hand personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Mobility scooters and wheelchairs

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Miscellaneous

• Hunting memorabilia
• Counterfeit goods (bags, shoes, watches, collectibles)
• Computers, laptops, hard drives, USB drives, external storage devices
• Prescription glasses
• Workplace uniforms displaying branded names

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Disposal Advice

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If you have any of these items, please dispose of them responsibly at your local waste and recycling centre or visit recyclenow.com for guidance.

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The Donation Hub is our central warehouse located at Ridgewood Industrial Estate, Uckfield. It serves as the main receiving point for donations from our supporters and the distribution centre where items are sorted and prepared before being sent to our charity shops for sale.

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Dropping off donations at the Donation Hub is easy! Simply pull up, ring the doorbell, and one of our friendly staff will be along to assist you. If you plan to donate a particularly large volume of items, please contact us in advance. Please note that we are unable to accept certain items ; kindly familiarise yourself with our “Items We Cannot Accept” FAQ before your visit, and do check our Hub opening times before travelling to ensure there will be staff on hand to help you.

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We’re always welcoming volunteers at the Donation Hub! If you enjoy a quieter, more relaxed working environment away from the busy shop floor, this could be a great fit for you. Typical tasks include sorting donations, checking quality, cleaning, steaming, and preparing items to ensure they’re ready for sale. It’s a fantastic way to support our cause if you prefer less social settings or want to contribute behind the scenes.

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If you’re interested in volunteering at the Donation Hub, please fill in our online form, get in touch, or pop into any of our shops and ask our staff for more information. We’d love to have your support!

Absolutely! We love working with businesses, organisations, and local groups that want to make a real difference in their community.

There are several ways you can get involved:

• Charity of the Year: Choose KWT as your charity partner for the year and fundraise with us through internal events, staff challenges, or customer-facing promotions.

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• Matched giving: Many businesses offer to match the fundraising efforts of their employees, doubling the impact of staff-led initiatives.

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• Sponsorship: Sponsor one of our events or fundraising campaigns and benefit from positive exposure while supporting a great cause

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• In-kind donations: Support us by donating services, raffle prizes, supplies, or professional expertise that helps our work go further.

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• Payroll giving: Make it easy for your employees to give regularly through a payroll deduction scheme. Find out more about Give As You Earn (GAYE) at the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

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• Host a fundraiser: Organise coffee mornings, dress-down days, bake sales, quizzes, or fitness challenges at your workplace.

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• Donate end of line stock: Unsold or surplus items from your business can be donated to our shops to help generate income for our work and is a fantastic way to reduce waste.

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We’re always open to ideas and collaborations and would love to hear from businesses that share our passion for animal welfare and community support.

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Get in touch with us to discuss how your company can get involved, whether you’re a small local shop or a large organisation, we’d love to partner with you.

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