CHECK the small print – that s the advice to anyone thinking of donating to charities which collect clothing from your doorstep. The advice follows concerns from a Hunts Post reader who received a plastic bag from Hand of Help UK Ltd, which is described

CHECK the small print - that's the advice to anyone thinking of donating to charities which collect clothing from your doorstep.

The advice follows concerns from a Hunts Post reader who received a plastic bag from Hand of Help UK Ltd, which is described as a charity organisation offering relief to snake bite victims in Cambodia.

However, unlike the majority of charities, the firm keeps 50 per cent of the profits, giving the remaining half towards charitable work.

John Laing, of Helens Close, Upwood, who received one of the bags, said: "It incenses me that people will give their stuff to this charity when they don't know that some of the money is going to an organisation that makes profit from it. And of course other charities are losing out because they could have got all the money if it was given to them."

Egle Grundulaite, manager of Hand of Help UK Ltd, said: "From the profits we give 50 per cent to the different charity organisations and we receive the other 50 per cent."

Ms Grundlaite said that all of the clothes that are collected are sold to companies in Lithuania, Albania and other parts of Eastern Europe before the money is distributed to charities.

"We inform people that we are a company helping our partners. It is business-to-business work. We are helping them get money they wouldn't otherwise receive."

A spokesman for Consumer Direct said: "There are some registered companies that do clothing collection, but it's important that you check whether the people doing the collecting are what they are say they are.

"We tell consumers not to give if there is any doubt in their minds.