Either put a "No more charity bags please" sign on your letter box, or just do what we do, and use them for both general rubbish and shredder contents bags.

I have no issue with genuine charity collection bags but unfortunately there are an increasing number of 'firms' who now also post these so called collection bags which in fact are on behalf of a business to make money rather than focus on the charity itself it claims to be supporting. It is regrettably these bags that are regularly placed through my letterbox which I object to and has also mean charities are losing out.

People do need to make a little more effort at times and charities having a call and collect service has been very helpful to many especially if they don't have their own transport. Also some charity shops don't always have the capacity to receive donated goods if already well supplied which causes confusion for many and arguably could put them off in the future.

Also, don't many recycling centres have collection bins for clothes and shoes? Maybe if people were more aware of their availability and the restrictions for their use (certain bags not allowed etc) it might help in the bigger scheme of things? At a time when so many are busy with the regular madness the world creates, maybe making things more obvious and accessible is the way forward?

I've stopped leaving out filled charity bags after myself and neighbours have had to often challenge white van collectors (always Eastern European - no prejudice intended) picking up the bags left out. Even though the bags are often marked that the goods will be collected by charity named vans/drivers.

After speaking to the Red Cross they said it was a frequent occurrence and any van registration numbers of suspected bag thieves should be passed to the police.

But regarding frequency of bags posted through the door my record is three in one day - all with the same pick-up day. Dilemma who to choose so chose none.

Totally agree about the "firms" who collect and say they will donate a very small percentage to whatever charity is on the bag. How do we know they actually donate anything? Many people are fooled by the "Save the Children" "Help for Heroes" etc banner on the bags, but I suspect most of the donations end up in eastern european market stalls, (I have seen this for myself in Ukaraine) and any money made goes straight into the pocket of the collectors. If you want to donate clothes, bedding, shoes, etc to a charity, please take them to your local charity shop, or ring and ask them if they can collect.

I used to feel guilty about throwing them in the bin because there must be a cost in buying them, posting them and collecting the filled bags. I even used to put out the empty bags when there nothing to put in them. However the number of bags started growing to the point that nobody could have that many clothes to recycle so it can not be economic. Now a day does not pass without one or some times two coming through the door so they just go out with the bin every fortnight. If I have clothes to recycle we take them to the shops if they are good or the tip if they are not. The sheer cost of these multi collections must exceed the value of collections so it is just a wasteful use of energy. It did not realise other things could go in the bag because I don't even read them anymore.

Unless they deceive you by saying it all goes to charity whats the problem in some entrepreneurial activity? better than claiming benefits .

We do now have many firms who now will pay you for bags of clothes by the weight sell to them and donate the money direct if that is your wish, however skeptic i may be but most charities seem to spend a lot of donated money on high paid advisers and staff, remember how much the ex mp got for working for the the cat protection league .