Most of us give to charity over our life times. It may be we support some of the major charities by standing orders for certain amounts of money on a monthly or yearly basis. It may be we contribute to more esoteric charities in this way. Possibly we put money into the innumerable collection boxes thrust into our faces outside supermarkets or in the street or are seduced by charity sellers in the streets. A great many of us of course support charity shops, which have proliferated over the past 10 years and more by donating and buying from these. But have you ever wondered what happens to the goods you donated from a garage clear-out or from the residue of your late aunt Mary's estate?

The sad truth is that as far as very many of the shops are concerned you are being ripped off. Over the years more and more members of staff, from the manager downwards, often the manager in collusion with other members of staff, mainly volunteers, take the best items donated for their own use. They never appear for sale in the shops, which of course is the point of the donation. Some of the very best items may be placed into auctions to secure the best price, a price that could not be obtained in a shop, but this happens all too infrequently. All charities, to a greater or lesser extent, are affected by this.

I know of staff who will take their pick from what is left on the doorstep of the shop, take anything of reasonable value, and sell it for personal gain. They may take it to a car boot sale, as long as this is not too near to their place of business, and sell it there. More often than not they have done deals with antique or other dealers, or with other car-booters. I know this from personal experience. For a third party to prove this would not be too difficult. All one need do is look at the life style of the people employed by, or working as volunteers, for such charities. The charities are losing vast amounts of much needed funds in this way. It's a shame.