Volunteer staff at St Mary’s Opportunity Shop in Macleod Street, Bairnsdale, are regularly confronted with dumped rubbish disguised as donated clothing and furniture at the rear of the store.
Last weekend, dozens of boxes of new shoes were left at the back of the shop, along with a couple of cabinets that should have been taken to the tip. Bins placed at the rear to collect clothing donated in good faith have had their locks broken and, in some cases, been pilfered.
Most weekends, volunteers are forced to send dumped materials to the tip rather than collecting clothing and useful items to be reused in the community, as the shop
faithfully intends.
