I have found out that a certain Oxfam in the south west of London thorws chidlren's clothes away!! I cannot be more specific because I might get people into trouble.

I am quite incensed by this as i believe people give clothes to charity in good faith with the hope that they will benefit those in need somewhere in the world. As far as I know, there are needy kids all over the world, even here in the Uk but i don't think the kids here are as deperate for clothes as kids in South America, Africa or even Asia.

It has made me wonder whether charities start because they want to help people or they lose sight of what's important and turn into some high street clone. I have heard as well(no proof) that Cancer research does not accept clothes for kids.

I am damn sure that the neediest people in the world are children. What is the point of selling us Sydney Sheldon books and telling us 10p out of the 30p will go to some region in darfur or some other basket place like that when you can send in truckloads of kiddie clothes(which are of good quality and given freely) to those god-forsaken places? Would it not benefit the children of Afghnistan in winter or those of Darfur or indeed the ones in New Orleans instead of putting the clothes in bin liners and throwing them in the gutter? Better still why not send them to a different branch(if they'll accept them) if your target audience is different?

I do not understand the mentality of some charities. I am sure volunteers and donors do so because they want to make a difference but at this moment, i feel i would rather personally go to a country and do something myself. I cannot trust what happens to stuff (or indeed money) that people donate.

I am not saying all chairties are bad and that Oxfam does no good because i am sure it does. I just dont understand the mentality of not taking childrens clothes when children are(use a cliche) the future!

I am still fuming!