Bogus Charity Collectors

Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed moves by Liberal Democrat MPs in campaigning against "Bogus Charity Collectors".

Northern MP Alan Beith has said " There have been reports from around the Country of clothing collection companies delivering leaflets and claiming to collect clothing for those in need, particularly people in developing Countries. But the clothing collected is then sold for financial gain rather than being passed on to the needy.

I am calling on the Home Office, the Office of Fair Trading and the Charity Commission to establish a joint review to make sure action can be taken against those involved in this kind of deception."

The Lib Dem led Parliamentary call for action has already been signed by 75 MPs.

The problem of non charity collectors has been a problem in the Bishopsgarth and Elm Tree and Eaglescliffe areas, and this Parliamentary action is welcomed by their Councillors.

Councillor John Fletcher, one of the Liberal Democrat members for Eaglescliffe, adds " I received a leaflet at home headed "Collecting on Monday Unwanted Clothing Collection Urgently Needed". Asking people to leave out unwanted clothing, bed linen, etc, this leaflet, semi-literate in places, says that "people in need Eastern Europe countries" will be provided "with affordable clothes for them and their families", creating jobs there and in the UK. It quotes the number of a company which was dissolved a few months ago, having never filed accounts, had a similar name and a registered office in Wembley. The leaflet bears no contact details for the "collecting company".

Further detailed information

Alan Beith is MP for Berwick and has signed Early Day Motion 127, details of which can be viewed at http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=31696&SESSION=885

The leaflet bears the name "Europe Supplies Ltd Company no 5401427". Companies House website for Great Britain currently shows no company with precisely this name and that Company No. 5401427