Who We Are

"We", "us", and "our" mean HRE4U CIC and, where the context requires, people authorised to act on its behalf.

HRE4U CIC

Company Number: 16856183

Document Information

Document: Donated Goods & Collections Policy
Document owner: HRE4U CIC Board of Directors
Status: Approved
Approved by: HRE4U CIC Board of Directors
Policy version: 1.0
Approval date: 17 October 2026
Last reviewed: 15 September 2026
Next review due: 15 September 2027
Classification: Public

Collection Licence & Verification

HRE4U is authorised to carry out house-to-house collections within the area and dates covered by our current collection licence. Our authorised collectors carry HRE4U identification.

Issued by: Sefton Council
Licence number: 050976
Area covered: The Whole Of Sefton
Valid: 01/10/2026 - 30/09/2027

Check a HRE4U Collector

If you would like to check that somebody collecting on behalf of HRE4U is genuine, you can contact us using the details below. You are always welcome to verify a collector before handing over a donation.

Telephone: 07539498539
Email: cafe@hre4u.co.uk

Donating to HRE4U

Donations help us keep HRE4U free, welcoming and available to the people who need us. Whether you give money, donate something useful or raise money for us, we’re genuinely grateful for the support.

This page explains what happens when you donate to HRE4U, how we use donations and what you can expect from us.

Money Donations

Money donated to HRE4U supports our work as a whole. Donations may be used wherever they are most useful to help us run our services, support our community and continue developing HRE4U.

We don’t normally accept conditions telling us exactly how an ordinary donation must be spent. This helps us avoid money becoming restricted to something that is already funded, no longer needed or cannot reasonably be used in the way requested.

Where HRE4U specifically raises money for a particular purpose or agrees a particular arrangement beforehand, we’ll make that clear at the time.

Anonymous donations are welcome where the payment method allows them. Banks and payment providers may still require information as part of their own processes.

If Something Goes Wrong With a Money Donation

If you’ve donated the wrong amount, made a donation by mistake or simply have a concern about a donation you’ve made, please get in touch with us as soon as you can.

We’ll always consider what has happened and do what we reasonably can to help. We can’t guarantee that every donation can be refunded. Money donated to HRE4U may be put to use quite quickly and may no longer be available by the time you contact us.

What Happens to Donated Goods?

HRE4U decides how donated goods can be put to best use. Depending on what we receive, items may be sold to raise funds for HRE4U, given directly to people, passed to charities, shelters or other community organisations, recycled or, where there is no suitable alternative, disposed of.

Where we know that a local organisation or community service needs particular items, we may prioritise passing suitable donations directly to them. We try to keep useful things in use wherever we reasonably can.

We aren’t able to accept ordinary donated goods on the condition that they must be used in a particular way or given to a particular person. Once something has been donated, HRE4U needs the flexibility to decide where it can do the most good.

Tracking Donated Goods

HRE4U does not routinely link donated goods to the person or address they came from.

Bulk donations such as clothing are normally handled and recorded in quantities, such as bags, rather than individual items. Some things, such as technology, jewellery or other individually significant donations, may be recorded separately, but they are still not routinely linked to the person who donated them.

We publish broader information about the goods we collect and how they support our work through our impact reporting, rather than trying to track every individual donated item.

If You Change Your Mind

We understand that people sometimes make mistakes or change their minds.

Once we’ve collected or accepted donated goods, we can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to return them. Donations can be sorted, combined with other goods, sold, given away or moved on very quickly, sometimes on the same day.

If you realise that you’ve donated something you didn’t mean to, or you simply change your mind, contact us as soon as you can. If we can identify the item, still have it and are reasonably satisfied that it belongs to you, we’ll consider whether we can return it.

We’ll always try to be reasonable, particularly where somebody may be vulnerable or where something has clearly gone wrong, but we can’t promise that an item can be found or returned.

Technology and Personal Information

HRE4U does not routinely inspect, access, test or erase donated phones, tablets or other technology.

Before donating a device, please remove anything you want to keep, sign out of your accounts and erase or reset the device where appropriate.

If we happen to become aware that a donated device contains personal information, we won’t browse through it or attempt to delete the information ourselves. Where we can reasonably identify and contact the donor, we may contact them so they can decide what they would like to do.

Because we don’t routinely inspect donated technology, we can’t guarantee that information left on a device will be identified before the device is passed on.

Having Something Collected

Current ways to donate and arrange a collection are shown on our donate page. Depending on the donation and location, we may be able to collect from you.

Collections are voluntary for everyone involved. You can change your mind before your donation is collected, and our collector can also decide that they are unable to complete a collection.

Our collectors will never enter your home to collect donations. Items should be somewhere that can be reasonably and safely accessed. Where appropriate, donations can be left in an agreed safe place, provided they will not become wet, damaged or otherwise unsuitable before collection.

Our collectors always have the final say on what they are able to collect. Even where something is normally accepted by HRE4U, there may be circumstances where a collector is unable to take it.

Knowing It’s Really Us

Anyone carrying out an authorised door-to-door collection for HRE4U will carry an HRE4U name badge and the appropriate collector identification. They will show these if you ask.

If you’re ever unsure whether somebody is genuinely collecting for HRE4U, you don’t need to hand anything over. You can contact us using any of the official contact methods at hre4u.co.uk/chat and ask us to confirm.

Our door-to-door collectors never accept cash. If somebody collecting goods from your home asks you for a cash donation, please do not give it to them and contact HRE4U.

Fundraising for HRE4U

If you’d like to raise money for HRE4U, you’re very welcome to. You don’t normally need our permission to organise your own fundraiser.

We’d love you to tell us what you’re doing so we can thank you and, where appropriate, help share or promote it.

Money raised for HRE4U must be paid to HRE4U through an official HRE4U account or authorised payment method. Independent fundraisers should not use money raised for HRE4U to make purchases or spending decisions on HRE4U’s behalf unless this has been specifically agreed with us.

Your Privacy

We’re always grateful when somebody chooses to support HRE4U, but donating doesn’t mean you have to be publicly recognised.

We may talk publicly about a donation without identifying who made it, but we will not publicly name or otherwise identify a donor without their permission.

Donations Don’t Buy Influence

Every donation is appreciated, but donating money or goods does not give somebody additional influence over HRE4U, priority access to our support or events, or preferential treatment.

When We May Say No

HRE4U can refuse a donation of money or goods where we believe accepting it would not be appropriate.

We may also stop, decline or return a donation where necessary following advice or requirements from our bank, payment provider, an appropriate authority or the law.

Other Ways People Support Us

This policy mainly covers donations of money and goods. Other support, such as donated professional services, facilities or resources, may be agreed separately with HRE4U.

Questions About a Donation

If something doesn’t seem right, you’ve made a mistake or you simply want to ask us what happens to a donation, please get in touch. We’d much rather you ask.