1:34pm Friday 28th November 2003
By Joanne Parkes
A furniture charity has appealed to the public to take donations to a special council lock-up after several items including a bed were dumped outside their warehouse.
Furnistore, which provides furniture to people on low incomes, will now have to pay the civic amenity site on Horley Road, near Earslwood, to come and dispose of the items.
Manager Carol Tomlinson advises residents with unwanted furniture to use its specially reserved container at the amenity site and not the charity's recently opened Garlands Road site.
She said staff there would give advice on whether the items are safe to be passed on for use by Furnistore clients.
She said: "This is what we feared would happen. I got to the warehouse this morning and all this stuff was here.
"If people take them down to the amenity site, they could explain to them about fire regulations and things like that.
"If it's beds and upholstered items, like sofas and chairs, they must comply with the current fire regulations, which means at least the 1988 regulations."
Ms Tomlinson said she understood people did not want their unwanted furniture to go to waste, and was grateful the charity had been born in mind.
But many of the items are unsuitable because most clients are living in hostels with shared facilities and do not need bulky items like huge wardrobes, poor quality pioeces or worn out beds. items.
She said: "People don't want to throw things away I understand that, but this bed is so old, I don't believe they really think someone would want it. They have to be in good condition."
What they do need, however, is beds, chests of drawers, wardrobes, coffee tables, duvets, quality fridges, fridge freezers and cookers.
The amenity site is on Horley Road, Redhill. Call 01737 767901. During the winter it opens Monday to Friday, 8am-4.15pm, and at weekends 9am-4.15pm.
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