A USED toilet seat, old (and used) false eyelashes, a pair of handcuffs and more than a thousand spoons - in one box - are among the strangest items given to a charity shop.

A host of quirky items have been given to Amaze in Malvern - leaving staff stumped - but now they are embracing the madness by launching 'Strange Thursdays' and asking donors to bring more unusual items on that day only.

Chris Lee, co-founder and co-director of Amaze, said: "Donations delivered by some members of the public that find their way to the shop have left staff bewildered and amused.

"It’s usually people who run up to the counter at a really busy time, thrust a bag into your hand and shout “I’m double parked” as they dash out through the door again.

"Sometimes items that are donated our team struggle to identify, there have been occasions when we have thought “What is it?”

"If we are really stumped we put it on the counter and ask our customers – invariably somebody will know."

The list of odd items given to the Richmond Road store include: 

  • A used toilet seat
  • A box containing over 1,000 spoons 
  • Over 100 test tubes
  • Over 70 teapots in the shape of cottages
  • A wedding album from 1947
  • A series of odd self-portraits – the donor often popping in to see if they had sold
  • A bag with hundreds of used wine corks 
  • Over twenty copies of Fifty Shades of Grey
  • A set of handcuffs that the co-founders believe are probably from the donor of the above books.
  • A chip pan full of hard fat and burnt chips 
  • A set of broken model train wheels 
  • Taxidermy animals, and sets of used false eyelashes

 

Malvern Gazette:

As it costs money for charity shops to throw away any unsellable items, the co-founders of Amaze are asking people to stop and think "would I buy this in a shop?" before bringing it in.

 

Malvern Gazette:

The team at Amaze pride themselves on being able to find a creative transformation for most donations, but some of the items listed are beyond their capability of restoring.

The shop's co-directors have designated Thursday as the best day for more peculiar donations to be brought in.

Mr Lee added: "On Thursdays, we have the most staff in, so we are able to cope with odd things that happen in the shop.

"Thursday is not a busy day like Friday or Saturday are really busy days for the shop, Thursdays are a little quiet and we have two volunteers in so we can prepare for the onslaught so I thought Thursdays are a good day for us.

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"It's nice that we have the staff to be able to engage with donors."