Tonnes of unusable donations for Ukraine refugees

Some donations sent to a sorting hub have either been recycled or sent to landfill. The items - much of it used bedding and clothing - were said to be unusable.

Council officials said it appears some people have used the effort to help Ukraine to get rid of old items.

Dorset Council councillor Laura Miller said truck loads of donations - sent to a sorting hub in Dorset - were unusable and have been cleared at Castlepoint. Pictures: Dorset Council

Donations of clothing and equipment have flooded in following the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has led to hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the country.

Donations from Dorset are being sent to a sorting centre at Castlepoint, Bournemouth before being transported to eastern Europe.

But Cllr Laura Miller is urging the public to fundraise through events instead of donating items after she said 4.5 tonnes was deemed unusable.

Castlepoint. Picture: Dorset Council

She said: "I got involved in the project as waste services are part of my council portfolio.

"Castlepoint was chosen as a main sorting hub. The donations have come from all over including north Dorset, Dorchester, Purbeck, and Weymouth, as well as Bournemouth and Poole.

"A lot of items have had to be cleared out and recycled because they're unusable. We've had to throw away a lot of used bedding.

"I understand people mean well, and it's been a wonderful human response, but the waste services have had to filter out a lot of it. It seems to have been an opportunity for some people to get rid of old items."

Cllr Miller added: "The huge outpouring of support has been amazing, but we feel fundraising is the best thing people can do at this point.

"Funds will be able to help pay for transport to get useful donations to where they're needed."

The Prince of Wales School in Dorchester has been the main drop-off point for donations locally.

Headteacher Gary Spracklen said there had been a filtration system in place for donations so he doesn't think the unused items would've come from Dorchester.

He said: "It's understandable people have their best intentions at heart, but we will not be accepting general clothing and bedding.

"We would urge the public to donate items only such as new power packs, bandages, camouflage gear, and fresh batteries.

"We're working with other organisations and there are plans to fly donations over."

You can donate at the school on Tuesdays from 4pm-5pm.