Flooding in local charity shop leads to disposal of donations

On Tuesday 5th October, the Oxfam Southfields team arrived at the shop to realise their saved stock of donations were completely soaked. The shop was covered in water, and they were forced to discard countless items of clothing due to the flooding inside caused by a blocked drain just outside the shop.

The built-up rainwater rushed in through the back door, drenching Oxfam’s stock of donations. Books were damp, clothes were wet, and the floor was a slippery hazard. Consequently, the shop was left with an unpleasant smell for days and many valued donations had to be disposed of.

It had been heavily raining throughout the past week and building materials from across the road were laid over the drains unintentionally.

Not only have the local charity shop been struggling after the flood, but the petrol crisis has also had an immense impact, as the manager of Oxfam Southfields explained, “It has been difficult for all businesses around, especially because of the petrol shortages since there are not as many donations anymore.”

Since the flood, the Oxfam Southfields team have worked hard to recover as many donations as they can, despite the ruinous damage, and the local community continue to support Oxfam with donations.