Thank you very much for choosing to support The Whitechapel Centre. As a charity we rely on the generosity of people like you. Of course, financial support is our most urgent need as we have substantial running costs just to keep the centre open every day. We know not everyone is able to make a financial donation but are able to help us in other ways.
Toiletries We provide shower facilities so are always in need of towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, soap, shower gel, shampoo, sanitary products.
Starter packs Many people move into their new home with very little, so a starter pack can be a wonderful moving in present. We would welcome any of the following items, although please note that all electrical items must be new and packaged as we are unable to PAT test second-hand goods: kettle, toaster, microwave, radio, cutlery, crockery, bedding, blankets, cleaning products, DIY and painting materials.
Food We have some fantastic relationships with FareShare and local supermarkets which provide us with weekly food drops. This has significantly reduced our food bill and provides almost everything that we need to cater for our service users. If you do wish to donation food please ensure it is non-perishable and within its sell-by date.
Clothing We have a need for the following items for both men and women (smaller sizes are preferred):
Furniture We have limited storage facilities and no transport so we’re unable to take many furniture donations. However, as our clients are regularly moving into new properties it may be that we can co-ordinate for items to go direct. Please contact us to discuss.
Office items & resources We always welcome donations of stationary, working IT equipment and office furniture. We run daily activity sessions so any art & craft materials are regularly used. Saveaway travel passes are essential to help clients get to the centre and other important appointments. Toys and books in good condition are also welcomed as we work with homeless families.
Your time & skills We have an excellent volunteering programme which involves an induction course, CRB check and training. Opportunities include:
Help out in our centre or admin office,
Lead an activity session e.g. art, music, money management,
DIY & painting (preparing properties for new tenants),
Fundraising activities
This is list is by no means exhaustive – if you have a particular skill, or think you can help us in another way, please get in touch and we’ll see if we can use it!
It really helps our planning if we know in advance that a donation is on its way so please do let us know. Unfortunately we don't have access to a vehicle so are unable to collect items and we have very limited storage space. If you are a church, community group, school or business and are planning to make a large donation please contact us in advance to check on our specific needs at the time. We'll be happy to work with you to make sure your gifts are the most relevant and useful for our clients.
Occassionally, we may select some donated items to be sold on our ebay account - the funds raised are used to purchase appropriate items for our service users.
