Clothes for Causes any info

[vgrant]

Clothes for causes Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello all

> As the director of Clothes for Causes I want to

> apologise firstly for not responding sooner.

> Feedback is very important to us as is the general

> public knowing what we are trying to achieve. I

> hope I can answer some very important points here.

> There are lessons to be learnt from our

> perspective and believing in total transparency I

> will start from the beginning.

> I have personally invested a large sum of an

> inheritance into a new venture I have extensive

> experience with but most importantly am hugely

> passionate about.

> Clothes for causes was born from frustration,

> collectively myself and the board of trustees also

> with current experience within the charity sector

> have a vision and mission to pioneer something we

> think is special, unique and not being done within

> the charity sector currently.

> We currently have three shops with plans for

> further openings this year, each of our shops are

> and will be registered in their own entities as

> ltd within companies house in order to safeguard

> Clothes for Causes. This is normal practise.

> We as a 100% non profit charity are also 100%

> volunteer led from directorship to the volunteers

> running shops. We are in the process of applying

> for charity registration with the Charity

> Commission, once this process is completed as

> there are many factors involved we shall as any

> charity be able to display the number.

> I am very proud of our team for what we have

> achieved in such a short time 3 shops in as many

> months, each shop within a budget of 5k using

> local trades and materials.

> Our experience has enabled us to call on many

> links equally excited about our plans that have

> supported us with some incredible donations to

> start this venture, more importantly the support

> from the local communities in which we trade has

> been enormously positive and generous and well

> received.

> What we are trying to achieve is ambitious and not

> easy, we want to be innovative and raise as much

> funds to support our local communities which we

> believe are forgotten. We want and are

> collaborating with the local authorities in the

> boroughs in which we reside to identify local

> causes wether they be charity based or individual

> that really need our help with no other means of

> support as long as they fall in line with our

> articles and directives to help with the relief of

> poverty and welfare. The funds we distribute after

> operating costs must not be for governance, admin

> but have real tangible results. We believe working

> in partnership with the local authority's is a

> more professional and authentic way to distribute

> funds. We also want to build a network of skilled

> trades wanting to donate a little time to offer

> their services in a voluntary capacity to our

> local communities which is the heart of what we

> aim to achieve.

> As a 100% non profit charity not business, we are

> totally reliant on donated clothing, we do not buy

> clothing. We do however buy in some new goods not

> clothing this is no different to the major high

> street charities who buy in new goods to sell. It

> is part of an offer we believe is part of our

> niche of not your average charity shopping

> experience and in line with the charity commission

> regulations. We sell these goods at a much lower

> mark up than others. As part of our community

> vision we have a discount shop in Eltham which

> means we don't recycle clothing to the rag trade

> but further support our community by selling

> through in this format.

> Our website is under construction and we are

> working to get this ready very soon where there

> will be a wealth of information and links to

> partnerships.

> Volunteers and donations are the life blood of our

> charity, we know there are training issues, each

> volunteer is inducted fully but obviously we have

> work to do. Trying to explain our vision is

> complicated as someone mentioned earlier it would

> be easy to pluck a popular cause and back but that

> is not what we are trying to do.

> I am very encouraged and humbled by the enthusiasm

> from the general public that want to get on board

> and have offered their services, even a local

> lawyer in East Dulwich has expressed an interest

> to join the board which is just fantastic and I

> look forward to this coming to fruition.

> There are of course many things for us still to

> do, wether it be finishing details within the

> shops to printing materials detailing our vision

> and further information.

> I welcome any feedback as we are constantly

> learning, as we grow we hope to get it right, our

> foremost thoughts are to raise as much money as we

> can to be the change we want to see.

> I am available most days at the East Dulwich

> branch and can be contacted on 07447014694 at any

> time to answer any questions.

> Kind regards.

> Veronique

Most of this is filler and does not answer any of the questions raised here

[vgrant]

.

[vgrant]

maybe an opportune time to raise this again, given the 5 pager on the ice bucket charidee

From what I can see from the mangled response, this shop is either the most mismanaged and incompetent charitable concept ever or is a commercial enterprise, pretending to be something it is not.

Which is it ?

[vgrant]

vgrant cat for causes are a wholly non profit outfit, its just we forgot to actually register as a charity,but in the meantime we are definiatly 100% charity, apart from the legal stuff. and we have volunteers running the place from the directors downwards - but dont question them too closely about what charitable cat causes they are supposed to be volunteering for, cos they have not yet been briefed. I am 100% humbled at the continued enthusuiam for charitable cat causes in the area, indeed we even have a local furrier interested in joining the board. We support people who do not have cats, not by actually giving them cats, but by selling them at a discount price, at a discount shop in a poorer area.We also buy cats , but sell them at a lower mark up than other cat vendors.

[uncleglen]

I passed there today and there were 2 Chinese girls outside eating and drinking. (well you did ask for any info!)

[speedbird]

That is all they seem to do, use the seats to eat, smoke and drink in. Strange.

[DKHfamily]

Funny, we were walking past the shop this morning and had a laugh, our jokes is that they sell things that have "fallen off the truck" -- stolen goods. The workers are like nothing you will come across at a charity shop, in fact, our experience at this shop has never been pleasant, we always feel like the workers are pushing merchandise, a bit like street hawkers. I too went online to find out about Clothes for Causes and nothing appears. If they were working on their website back in July (as stated above) why isn't it up yet? They've done nothing to assure the community that they are a legitimate charity.

[vgrant]

I am not going to start bandying accusations around as its not worth the hassle for the forum admin & I have had rsanty stuff reported to the filth in the past by local businesses ( peace be upon their names),but as things stand, this is not a charity & there is no evidence of any charitable goings on.

I can understand a degree of corporate incompetence re the charitable status, but this is a business that has multiple outlets - there is some business acumen behind it & things dont sit right with me . The charity badge should not be used with this outlet, it should not even be hinted at.

I know this had been reported to Trading standards already.

I may be an faux opiniated trolling sock puppet to many, but I have strong opinions of right and wrong - I would not give this lot any custom until they can prove they are honest in their dealings.

Prove me wrong clothes for causes and I will gladly apologise - I am not holding my breath with this one though.

[vgrant]

CfC last logged in on the 1st September- ample time to respond/ refute/ action the questions raised here

savile

[edhistory]

https://www.opencompany.co.uk/company/09058206/clothes-for-causes-eltham-ltd

[Otta]

vgrant Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I may be an faux opiniated trolling sock puppet to

> many, but I have strong opinions of right and

> wrong

For what it's worth, I've always liked your work.

[vgrant]

Given the lack of response here,and despite logging in frequently over the past few days, CfC have not bothered to answer any questions raised.

Do you really want to give these evasive people your hard earned cash, when there are world of charity shops in the 'hood?

[flocker spotter]

The forest hill branch has "Charity Shop" signeage in 2 feet high letters - whilst next door there is a registered charity shop - the long established ALD.

How can a business describe itself as a charity shop and get away with it ?

[NewWave]

I've made a point of never even bothering to step through the door despite being a very keen charity shop shopper.

I actually feel angry every time I see the signage stating "clothes for causes".

I don't want to repeat myself but I will...I think its a scam.

Give your donations to charity shops with a clear cause that you care about.

[vgrant]

The FH branch has some kind of board outside sating it is the best charity shop in the area of some such unquatifible crap - and yes, I have seen the CHARITY SHOP pink lettering on the shop side as well.And you have not sorted out the charitable status yet I suppose ?

http://beautifulladdictions.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/clothes-for-causes-launch.html

"Hi everyone and Happy Sunday. I have an exciting post for you about a new store that opened yesterday aptly named 'Clothes For Causes'. This is a charity shop, but with a very modern and enticing atmosphere. With donations including a mixture of designer, high street and vintage fashion, home ware, toys and more this store is bursting at the seams with vibrancy. With a team that is more like a family ready to greet you and welcome you in your shopping experience will be one that you walk away happy from. Their stock rooms are literally overflowing so get down there and grab a bargain or few. Money raised goes towards helping local causes."

More filler, less detial.Still, it says charity shop - how can that be ? please clarify

[Bellenden Belle]

Just been into the Grove Vale branch and quizzed a 'volunteer'. Feel terribly cross. She said 'we don't support local charities, we are a charity ourselves.' She then went on on to say they wouldn't be donating any miney until 'the end of the year' and then made some vague suggestion that they would be 'setting up a food bank'.

'Oh where?' ' we won't know Til the end of the year' 'but there are already food banks in the area, couldn't you support those?' 'You have any questions speak to the owner' 'when's she in?' 'Tomorrow'

I doubt that's true but if anyone wants to pop in, if be intrigued to know.

It's seems a total scam to me.

[Otta]

Surely there is some organisation that they can be reported to, this is totally fraudulent.

Do the charities commission look in to stuff like this?

[vgrant]

I know someone has raised it with trading standards already but if you can be arsed, then another report wont go wrong

Charity commssion is only bothered about wrongdoing for their registered lot - CfC are not a registered charity and not on their books.. You could speak to the filth, but I suspect you will not get much interest.

[Otta]

I think this lot look in to bogus charities.

http://www.frsb.org.uk/

I personally don't even know where these shops are, so not really in a position to make a detailed complaint.

[Robert Poste's Child]

It sounds as though they intend to do something charitable if they have surplus profit at the end of the year, which, however honourable their intentions, presumably would also reduce their tax burden. If so I don't think that makes them a charity themselves. It takes most businesses a couple of years anyway to become profitable - are people supposed to donate in good faith while that happens, I wonder? Perhaps the volunteer BB spoke to was confused. I'm thinking of taking a trip down there tomorrow now to understand what its all about - very curious.

[vgrant]

Mcdonalds & BAE stick some profit into charitable causes - you would kick off if either of these bandied around the charity tag in their advertising & implied they were indeed registered charities.

how the fuck can you be a volunteer at CfC when there is no charity at the end of it ? a volunteer for what ?

[Robert Poste's Child]

Banks do huge amounts of community investment and other charitable stuff but (whatever you may think of banking) they don't confuse it with a mission statement. Looking forward to getting a better understanding of what they're trying to do.

[Robert Poste's Child]

I dropped in today and basically got the same answer as Bellenden Belle, so I don't feel much better informed yet, but apparently they're going to put a notice in the window to explain so hopefully all will become clear soon.

[vgrant]

Did you speak to the director/ ex charity professional who set up this bizzare retail outlet?

How can they play fast an loose with terms like charity and be able to sleep at nights?

[edhistory]

VERONIQUE MONIQUE DECROP