Tendring reuse

Residents can now donate their reusable items to charity at Clacton Recycling Centre.

Essex County Council has partnered with two local charities in a trial to give a new lease of life to items taken by the members of the public to Clacton Recycling Centre. Residents are invited to set aside items that could be reused at a dedicated charity donation area. 

A wide range of items will be accepted for reuse including: 

  • wooden furniture
  • upholstered furniture with fire safety label attached
  • bric-a-brac
  • bikes
  • garden furniture and ornaments
  • children’s toys
  • home decorations

To increase the chances of your donated items being reused, please ensure they are in good working condition, clean, and free of damage. 

Items will be collected by the charities and passed on to residents in need or sold in their shops to raise money to fund their activities.

The trial runs from 1 April 2025 until 31 August 2025.

Further information

Booking a visit

You will need to have a valid booking to visit the recycling centre.

We would not recommend taking a special trip to the recycling centre to donate your items. This trial aims to provide a last opportunity to save items from being thrown away. We would encourage residents to use other available options to donate or sell their items first such as taking them to a charity shop directly, selling them on Facebook Marketplace or giving them away on your local Freegle group.

For more information and ideas, visit our reuse and repair page.

Items we cannot accept

Items that cannot be donated for reuse include:

  • upholstered items without a safety label 
  • critical safety items such as children’s car seats and helmets 
  • electrical items 
  • clothes and shoes 
  • books 
  • children's toys without a CE label 
  • hazardous or DIY waste 
  • dirty or broken items 

Please note this list is subject to change based on the charity needs. Please speak to a member of staff on site for the most up-to-date information.

What happens to the donated items

The items donated become the property of Essex County Council and will be made available to our charity partners to collect. They will pass on the items to members of the community in need or sell them in their charity shops to raise money for their services. 

Any item not wanted by the charities will be recycled or disposed of appropriately.

Our charity partners

We are currently partnering with two charities on this project:

  • East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) delivers lifelong care to support both bereaved and non-bereaved families. They aim to ensure the best possible quality of life for babies, children and young people. EACH has several shops in Tendring where your donations will help raise much-needed funds.
  • North Essex Support Team (NEST) finds and provides essential furniture and household items, delivering them directly to those who need support – all free of charge. They are a lifeline for those returning from hospital, in urgent need of help or struggling families.

Other recycling centres taking part in the trial

We are aiming for a similar partnership to be set up at the three other recycling centres in Tendring in the coming months. The recycling centres would be Lawford, Kirby-le-Soken and Dovercourt.

How to get involved

If you volunteer or work for a charity and would like to be involved in collecting the donated items, please email love.essex@essex.gov.uk and a member of the team will be in touch.

BETA Help us to improve this website by giving feedback.