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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Bonnie Christian

Human ashes, a catheter bag and a container of gravy among weird things people donated to charity in 2019

Human ashes, a catheter bag and a container of gravy are among the peculiar items people donated last year, a UK mental health charity has revealed.

Mind revealed its list of the weirdest items donated in 2019 as it encouraged people to bring in what they don't need anymore, rather than throw them away.

But, it said while donations are important, it can’t recycle or reuse all items.

Last year, among the thousands of donations, a box of human ashes was found in a jacket pocket by volunteers in Woking that was “quickly returned to its owner”.

One shop keeps a shelf of 'weird and wonderful' things that people donate (Mind)

The charity also said it has had to throw away a plastic container full of gravy, a pair of false teeth, a used toilet seat, and a catheter bag and tube.

A pair of nunchucks, donated with a bag of toys, was also thrown away after being deemed too dangerous to sell.

A pregnant doll with a removable bump was one of the weird things donated last year (Mind)

But, it said some of the strange items can be salvaged including a book called Hairy Hunks: A Celebration of Shaggy Stallions, which “flew off the shelves”.

A completely see-through pair of men’s trousers, and matching shirt donated to our shop in Stoke-on-Trent, were picked up the next day.

And, a pregnant doll, complete with a removable “bump” to reveal a hidden baby, which can be taken out, was added to a shelf of "weird and wonderful things".

Andrew Vale, Director of Mind Retail, said: “We get an interesting mix of items, and while I am not sure what I would do with transparent trousers, we urge everyone to keep giving.”

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