All items · Sharps & weapons
Ammunition, flares and fireworks
Also covers: bullets, shotgun cartridges, flare, emergency flare, marine flare, fireworks
Can you donate ammunition, flares and fireworks to a UK charity shop? No.
Why shops may refuse it
Explosives can't be sold or even safely stored by shops.
What to do instead
Contact police before moving ammunition, explosives or suspect devices and follow their instructions. For marine flares, use the official finder for a third-party disposal service; HM Coastguard no longer accepts private hand-ins. Ask the retailer, council or fire service about old fireworks before travelling.
Charity by charity
49 mentions-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
Guns and ammunition also not accepted (see weapons).
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ammunition, swords, sword sticks, crossbows or other offensive weapon.”
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Can't accept
Also fireworks & accessories.
Their wording
“Firearms including airguns and ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition (including replica guns, unless obviously toys)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Explosives in any form”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Flammable items, fire fighters, fireworks”
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Can't accept
Only "ammunition" is evidenced here; flares/fireworks are not separately mentioned on this page.
Their wording
“Weapons of any kind, including: Bladed items including knives, Guns, crossbows and ammunition (including replica guns unless obviously a toy)”
- Can't accept
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
'Fireworks' explicitly named; ammunition/flares inferred from 'explosives' and 'firearms'.
Their wording
“Knives and firearms (including replicas), explosives (including fireworks) or any weapons or sharp objects”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“firearms, ammunition, weapons or realistic toy weapons”
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Can't accept
The Weapons section also excludes 'Guns and ammunition (including replica guns, unless obviously toys)'.
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Explosives (including fireworks)”
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Can't accept
Only "ammunition" is explicitly named; the page does not separately mention fireworks or flares.
Their wording
“Firearms, ammunition, weapons, knives or objects that could be used as weapons or replica weapons, bladed tools”
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Can't accept
Refers to the fireworks named in this list; ammunition is separately listed as not accepted alongside firearms.
Their wording
“Flammable items such as firelighters, barbeque lighting tools, spray paint, fireworks, fuel and fuelled equipment”
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Can't accept
Same list item also names swords, sword sticks and cross bows as refused offensive weapons (see 'weapons' entry).
Their wording
“Ammunition, swords, sword sticks, cross bows or other offensive weapon”
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Can't accept
Only ammunition is explicitly named; flares/fireworks are not separately mentioned.
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition (including replica guns)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Firearms and ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns, crossbows and ammunition (including replica guns)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition (including replica guns)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Firearms and ammunition (legal reasons and undesirability). Includes starting pistols and other blank-firing weapons and ammunition.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“fireworks”
- Can't accept
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Can't accept
Their wording
“fireworks”
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Can't accept
Bullets are also refused, listed separately as 'Knives, blades, and bullets'.
Their wording
“Fireworks, party poppers, used candles Knives, blades, and bullets”
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Can't accept
Shown when searching 'Ammunition' (also 'Fireworks').
Their wording
“Thank you for thinking of us. Unfortunately, we’re unable to accept this item because of legal restrictions. Some things need special licences or checks that we’re not able to have in place.”
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Can't accept
Guns and ammunition are also listed separately as not accepted under the weapons section.
Their wording
“Fireworks”
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Can't accept
'ammunition' specifically named; fireworks/flares not mentioned.
Their wording
“Guns, ammunition and replica guns”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“explosives-including fireworks”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition (including replica guns)”
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Can't accept
Also separately listed: 'Firearms and ammunition'.
Their wording
“Fireworks and explosives”
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Can't accept
Fireworks also refused separately (see 'Fireworks' under Furniture and Housewares).
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition (including replica guns)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Firearms, ammunition, weapons or bladed items”
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Can't accept
Also covers Christmas crackers, party poppers, fireworks and sparklers.
Their wording
“ammunition”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns, ammunition (including replica guns, ammunition)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Guns and ammunition (including replica guns).”
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Can't accept
Ammunition is also refused, paired with guns under the Weapons heading: 'Guns and ammunition (including replica guns unless they are obviously toys)'.
Their wording
“Fireworks Guns and ammunition (including replica guns unless they are obviously toys)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Knifes/crossbows/guns/ammunition/swords”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Firearms / fireworks or any explosives”
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Can't accept
Wales Air Ambulance category-wide rule
Dangerous items generally not accepted for legal and safety reasons
Their wording
“We cannot sell dangerous items for legal and safety reasons.”
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Can't accept
Firearms are bundled with ammunition in this line; guns/weapons generally are covered separately by 'Weapons and realistic toy weapons.' No specific mention of fireworks or flares.
Their wording
“Firearms and ammunition.”
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Can't accept
Bullets are listed among items not accepted.
Their wording
“Knives, blades and bullets”
Not mentioned in 104 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Accord Hospice
- Acorns Children's Hospice
- Age UK
- Ardgowan Hospice
- Ashgate Hospicecare
- Ayrshire Hospice
- Barnardo's
- Barnsley Hospice
- Bolton Hospice
- Butterwick Hospice
- Children's Hospice South West
- Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
- Claire House Children's Hospice
- Cransley Hospice Trust
- Crisis
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Dogs Trust
- Douglas Macmillan Hospice
- Dr Kershaw's Hospice
- East Lancashire Hospice
- Emmaus
- FARA Charity Shops
- Farleigh Hospice
- Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Helen & Douglas House
- Highland Hospice
- Hope House & Ty Gobaith Children's Hospices
- Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland
- Hospice in the Weald
- Hospice Isle of Man
- Hospice of the Valleys
- Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)
- Katharine House Hospice, Banbury
- Keech Hospice Care
- KEMP Hospice
- LOROS Hospice
- Marie Curie
- Martin House Children's Hospice
- Moya Cole Hospice
- Naomi House & Jack's Place
- Nightingale House Hospice
- North Devon Hospice
- North London Hospice
- Nottinghamshire Hospice
- Octavia Foundation
- Oxfam
- PDSA
- Pendleside Hospice
- Phyllis Tuckwell
- Pilgrims Hospices
- Primrose Hospice
- Prospect Hospice
- Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
- Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
- Rotherham Hospice
- Royal Trinity Hospice (London)
- Saint Francis Hospice
- Samaritans
- Save the Children
- Scope
- Sense Scotland
- Severn Hospice
- Shelter
- Springhill Hospice
- St Catherine's Hospice (Crawley)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire)
- St Clare Hospice
- St Columba's Hospice
- St Cuthbert's Hospice
- St David's Hospice Care
- St Helena Hospice
- St John's Hospice (Lancaster, Morecambe, Kendal & Garstang)
- St John's Hospice (London)
- St Luke's Cheshire Hospice
- St Luke's Hospice (Harrow & Brent)
- St Luke's Hospice Basildon & Thurrock
- St Luke's Hospice Plymouth
- St Margaret's Hospice Care (Somerset)
- St Mary's Hospice
- St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire)
- St Nicholas Hospice Care
- St Peter & St James Hospice
- St Raphael's Hospice
- St Richard's Hospice
- St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)
- St Vincent's Hospice
- Strathcarron Hospice
- The Kirkwood
- The Myton Hospices
- The Prince of Wales Hospice
- The Shakespeare Hospice
- Traid
- Treetops Hospice Trust
- Wakefield Hospice
- Weldmar Hospicecare
- Willen Hospice
- Willow Burn Hospice
- Willow Wood Hospice
- Willowbrook Hospice
- Wirral Hospice St John's
- Wisdom Hospice
- Woodgreen Pets Charity
- YMCA (England & Wales)