Horrific fly-tipping forces charity to ditch donation bin after bags of rubbish repeatedly dumped
A charity bin used to collect donations for homeless people has been repeatedly ransacked by fly-tippers, with the bin now set to be removed due to numerous complaints of overflowing waste sprawling over a disabled parking space.
Jamie Lilley, founder of Manchester-based Cold Hands Warm Hearts, was “embarrassed” when he received complaints of litter outside one of his donation bins.
The charity has five bins dotted across the city, and the particular bin in question lies in the car park of a pub in Middleton. It is also situated directly next to a disabled car parking space.
Lilley received a call from the landlord of the pub saying that the bin was overflowing again and items were covering the car park – it was the second time it had happened that week.
Having already visited the spot to clear up the previous mess, Lilley was dismayed that he would have to go and do it all over again.
He told GB News: “It was just embarrassing because he did speak to me and said, ‘I really want help but it’s now affecting the car park where people come in. It’s been taking up three quarters of the disabled bay’.”
The contents of the “donations” ranged from stained pillows to condom wrappers, a sight that left Lilley “p***ed off and really angry”. All the items were drenched and had started to smell.
“We’re all volunteers. We’re a team. I personally spend about 20 hours outside of my full time job running around for the charity,” he told the People’s Channel.
MORE LIKE THIS:
- Couple handed £1.2k fly-tipping fine after thieves stole and dumped bin bag 30ft away
- Nightmare neighbour who piled rubbish outside home finally given the boot
- Elderly volunteer litter picker slapped with ‘shock’ fine for forgetting walking stick
“So for me, and all that I put in, the least I expect back is just for people to have common sense. And if the bin is full, don’t leave it outside.”
The bins are specifically for clothing. The charity then decides what they need, for example, in winter, coats and jumpers, and these are then given to the homeless.
Other items that may not be required currently, such as skirts and t-shirts, are taken to a recycling company where Cold Hands Warm Hearts receive money in exchange for the items.
The cash they receive they put towards food supplies and tin foil trays to serve the food in.
He said: “A lot of the stuff that is being left outside the bins isn’t even clothing. It’s like they’re treating it as a tip.”
Upon seeing the pile of items dumped outside the bin, of which situated just 200 metres away is a proper bin for rubbish, Lilley was astounded. “That’s not someone wanting to help,” he said. “That’s just someone wanting to get rid of their rubbish”.
Lilley said he finds the act of fly-tipping disrespectful to his charity, as he, along with the volunteers, willingly give up their free-time to help and now they are spending large chunks of it cleaning up others’ mess.
Locals have negatively reacted to the mess, with Lilley being told by vexed people who can’t park because of the rubbish that it’s “disgraceful”.
An older disabled gentleman scolded Lilley for the waste that was covering up the disabled car park space: “I’ve been here twice now and both times that bay has not been free.” The man has had to park 35 yards away due to the overflowing items.
Lilley has now been told that the bin will be removed thanks to the repeated dumping. “I’m truly disappointed because this resource was provided to help but people’s laziness, and the fact that the bin isn’t even full has led to this unfortunate situation,” he said.
“The future of the charity is being jeopardised,” Lilley lamented.