All items · Safety equipment
Climbing ropes, harnesses and hardware
Also covers: climbing rope, carabiner, harness
Almost all say no
18 refuse it outright — but 1 takes it under conditions. Evidence: 15 direct, 4 broad.
Why shops refuse it
Load-bearing safety gear has a service life and unknown history — it can't be resold responsibly.
What to do instead
Retired ropes make good dog leads and swings; climbing walls sometimes take them for mats and marking.
Charity by charity
-
Can't accept
Acorns Children's Hospice
broad category rule
General safety equipment not accepted, bike/riding helmets given as examples.
Their wording
“Safety equipment such as bike helmets or riding helmets”
-
Can't accept
Age UK
broad category rule
Applies to all safety equipment items
Their wording
“safety equipment”
-
Can't accept
British Heart Foundation
Their wording
“Safety harnesses”
-
Can't accept
Cancer Research UK
Also safety harnesses. New items can only be sold if sealed in the original box.
Their wording
“climbing equipment”
-
Can't accept
Claire House Children's Hospice
broad category rule
General sports safety equipment not accepted.
Their wording
“Sports safety equipment (helmets, etc.)”
-
Can't accept
Cornwall Hospice Care
Their wording
“Climbing equipment, ropes and harnesses”
-
Can't accept
Dorothy House
Their wording
“Safety harnesses of any sort”
-
Can't accept
Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
Harnesses not accepted.
Their wording
“Safety equipment (helmets, harnesses, life jackets)”
-
Can't accept
Overgate Hospice
Harnesses specifically named.
Their wording
“Safety equipment (i.e life jackets, safety helmets, seats and harnesses)”
-
Can't accept
Princess Alice Hospice
Their wording
“Safety harnesses of any sort”
-
Can't accept
Salvation Army (SATCoL)
Their wording
“safety harnesses of any sort”
-
Can't accept
Shaw Trust
Their wording
“harnesses”
-
Can't accept
St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
Safety harnesses of any sort
Their wording
“Safety harnesses of any sort”
-
Can't accept
St Giles Hospice
Their wording
“Safety harness of any sort”
-
Can't accept
St Peter's Hospice
Their wording
“Safety harnesses of any sort”
-
Can't accept
Sue Ryder
Their wording
“climbing equipment”
-
Can't accept
The Children's Trust
Their wording
“Safety harnesses of any sort.”
-
Can't accept
Wales Air Ambulance
Their wording
“Climbing equipment”
-
Check first
Samaritans
broad category rule
Unless new or sealed.
Their wording
“Safety equipment”
Not mentioned in 25 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Not mentioned Barnardo's
- Not mentioned British Red Cross
- Not mentioned Crisis
- Not mentioned DEBRA
- Not mentioned Dogs Trust
- Not mentioned Emmaus
- Not mentioned FARA Charity Shops
- Not mentioned Keech Hospice Care
- Not mentioned LOROS Hospice
- Not mentioned Marie Curie
- Not mentioned Octavia Foundation
- Not mentioned Oxfam
- Not mentioned PDSA
- Not mentioned Phyllis Tuckwell
- Not mentioned Save the Children
- Not mentioned Scope
- Not mentioned Sense Scotland
- Not mentioned Shelter
- Not mentioned St Christopher's Hospice
- Not mentioned St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)
- Not mentioned Traid
- Not mentioned Trinity Hospice (Blackpool)
- Not mentioned Willen Hospice
- Not mentioned Woodgreen Pets Charity
- Not mentioned YMCA (England & Wales)