Salvation Army (SATCoL)
As of , Salvation Army (SATCoL) publishes donation guidance covering 48 of the 110 items in this directory: 29 they can't accept, 7 they may accept in some cases and 12 they accept.
Their standard cannot-accept list is published on donation-centre pages; the Coventry centre's list is shown here. Donation centres can PAT-test electricals; upholstered furniture and large items go to donation centres.
Baby & children
2-
Can't accept
Includes detachable car seats.
Their wording
“Car seats (including detachable car seats)”
-
Can't accept
Covers cot, moses basket and travel cot mattresses.
Their wording
“child mattresses (cots, moses baskets, travel cots)”
Toys & games
1-
Accepted
Their wording
“Entertainment: books, DVDs, CDs, toys and games”
Furniture
2-
Accepted
Under 'What you can donate' > 'Furniture & soft furnishings' on the Coventry donation centre page. Beds and sofa beds explicitly named.
Their wording
“Beds, mattresses, sofa beds, pine wardrobes, curtains new and used plus much more.”
-
Accepted
Explicitly accepted as long as they are in good condition — unusual among charities.
Their wording
“we will accept mattresses as long as they are in good condition”
Homeware & household
2-
Accepted
Their wording
“Household items: homeware, kitchenware, crockery, ornaments”
-
Accepted
Their wording
“Household items: homeware, kitchenware, crockery, ornaments”
Electrical
8-
Can't accept
Includes tablets, laptops, desktops and mobile devices.
Their wording
“IT equipment containing hard drives including tablets, laptops, desktop computers and mobile devices”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Electric showers”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Gas appliances (mains or bottled goods)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Storage heaters (hardwired)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“sunbeds and tanning equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Hardwired appliances (ceiling, pendant or wall lamps)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Personal appliances e.g. shavers, foot spas (unless new in sealed box)”
-
Check first
Oil-filled radiators are refused only when not supplied with a thermostat.
Their wording
“oil filled radiators (not supplied with a thermostat)”
DIY & garden
1-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Power tools without instructions”
Safety equipment
3-
Can't accept
Their wording
“safety harnesses of any sort”
-
Can't accept
Riding hats, crash helmets, cycle helmets and hard hats.
Their wording
“safety helmets - riding hats, crash helmets, cycle helmets and hard hats”
-
Can't accept
Also inflatable dinghies and water toys.
Their wording
“Buoyancy aids, life jackets”
Mobility & medical
2-
Can't accept
Their wording
“medication”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Wheeled walkers and zimmer frames, wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters”
Health & beauty
2-
Can't accept
Accepted only if sealed and in-date.
Their wording
“cosmetics (unless sealed and in-date)”
-
Check first
Only accepted if the lens strength is indicated.
Their wording
“prescription spectacles with no indication of lens strength”
Sharps & weapons
3-
Can't accept
Also fireworks.
Their wording
“guns and ammunition, antique or otherwise”
-
Can't accept
Swords, sword sticks, crossbows, guns (incl. replicas), antique or otherwise.
Their wording
“swords, sword sticks, crossbows, guns and ammunition, antique or otherwise (including replica guns)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Knives of any kind”
Hazardous materials
2-
Can't accept
Their wording
“firefighting equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“petrol or diesel fueled garden tools”
Food & drink
3-
Can't accept
Their wording
“branded alcoholic products”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“perishable goods, food and drink”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“perishable goods, food and drink”
Media & books
3-
Check first
DVDs are welcomed, but 18-certificate DVDs/videos/Blu-rays and anything not BBFC-classified are not accepted.
Their wording
“Entertainment: books, DVDs, CDs, toys and games”
-
Accepted
Their wording
“Entertainment: books, DVDs, CDs, toys and games”
-
Accepted
Listed under 'Our shops accept' on the main donating page. Only CDs are named (alongside Books and DVDs) — vinyl/records are not mentioned on this page, but CDs alone satisfy naming for this combined media item.
Their wording
“Books, CDs & DVDs”
Restricted materials
6-
Can't accept
Also pirate DVDs and computer games.
Their wording
“counterfeit, fake goods”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“fur or fur trimmed items”
-
Can't accept
The policy explicitly includes pornographic materials.
Their wording
“pornographic materials”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Cigarette lighters and refill canisters”
-
Check first
Ivory produced after June 1947 is refused; earlier pieces can be sold.
Their wording
“ivory produced after June 1947, taxidermy produced after June 1947”
-
Check first
Taxidermy produced after June 1947 is refused; earlier pieces can be sold.
Their wording
“ivory produced after June 1947, taxidermy produced after June 1947”
Bedding & textiles
3-
Check first
Used duvets and pillows not accepted (covers and pillowcases are fine); new ones accepted.
Their wording
“used duvets (except duvet covers), used pillows (except pillowcases)”
-
Accepted
Appears in the Coventry page's 'Donations we can't accept' > 'Furniture & Housewares' list: used duvets and used pillows themselves are refused, but duvet covers and pillowcases are explicitly carved out as an exception to that refusal (i.e. they are not refused / can be donated). Plain sheets and the general term 'bed linen' are not separately named on this page.
Their wording
“used duvets (except duvet covers), used pillows (except pillowcases)”
-
Accepted
Their wording
“Furniture & soft furnishings: beds, mattresses, sofa beds, pine wardrobes, curtains new and used”
Clothing & accessories
3-
Accepted
Their wording
“Clothing and shoes: women's, men's, and children's”
-
Accepted
Their wording
“Accessories: belts, bags, jewellery”
-
Accepted
Their wording
“Clothing and shoes: women's, men's, and children's”
Sport & outdoor
2-
Can't accept
Also inflatable dinghies and water toys.
Their wording
“Buoyancy aids, life jackets”
-
Check first
Bikes are only accepted at 'Recycles' outlet locations, not standard donation centres.
Their wording
“bikes (except for Recycles outlet locations)”
Other things they mention
More rules from their donation guidance, in their own words — these don't have their own page on this site yet:
- Can't accept Personal Protective Equipment (knee pads, elbow pads, padded biker suits)
- Can't accept Sunglasses without indicated UV protection rating