Only really knowing the Care & Share shop in Londonderry, I was expecting a similar kind of…read moreslightly musty emporium with darkened corners filled with James Last cassettes. How wrong I was, for this Sally Army-supporting shop is small enough and has the ambience to suggest that you've wandered into someone's living room by accident. You walk in and up a small ramp and you're already about halfway down the shop. The folk in there are lovely, the place is clean and bright and the stock selection is really good in terms of quantity and quality - I snapped up a Douglas Coupland novel for 25p. There was a big pile of albums too but they weren't very accessible being lined up against the wall under some other stock at the bottom of a staircase. Blackheath has some very unusual but very inviting charity shops, so if you like spending a morning traipsing round in search of books, ties, jigsaws or whatever ephemera floats your vessel - hop on a 128, 404 or 140 and have a ride up.

Big ole' charity shop is this one. It stands on the traffic island in Blackheath along with a…read moreWilkinsons and the Shoulder of Mutton pub. From the outside, this charity shop looks very professional, almost like a department charity shop. When you get in there however, it looks like someone started off with great intentions of a tidy and well laid-out shop, then got bored halfway through and didn't finish tidying. I feel raving dissing charity shops because for me part of the whole point is that they're not High Street shops, they're not false; they're honest and wonderful little places just trying to make money for their cause. In this case, perhaps just a little bit of a white lie might help. If only because the books are all over the place! Every part of the shop you walk you'll find a handful of books. I'm all for a lived-in look for charity shops because the point is that most, if not all of its stock has been lived in. But when you see how good some of the other charity shops in Blackheath are, you'd know that there needs to be a bit (just a bit!) of game-raising as well as fund-raising.

Oh my gosh, I love rummaging through this charity shop! It doesn't sell much in the way of…read moreclothing, more furniture, ornaments, crockery and glassware. They have big furniture items like wardrobes, beds and dressing tables - all at ridiculously low prices. I saw a fabulous 1950s dressing table in there a couple of months back and they wanted £25.00 for it. I love looking at the glassware - I've picked up some very cool Babycham glasses from there (£3 each) as well as some pretty pressed glass serving bowls and vases. They must get a lot of stock from house clearances - there are complete dinner services and tea sets to be snapped up. There is a glass cabinet by the till containing jewellery and more collectable items, though even these items are still really cheap. I love going in around Christmas time, as it makes a great place to pick up "vintage" style stocking fillers without breaking the bank.

This is the one, still on the mission to build the machine to send a man back into his own thoughts…read morewe needed more parts, this place had a Sweet clock with a alloy wheel design behind it for a fiver. I had to have it as the centre piece of the machine so i went in and found out about the shop. They give money to Wild Acre and that's all nice, but that's not why anyone shops here i promise you. They shop here because the staff know how to cut sweet deals. When i told them i was building a machine for a music video they brought out a ton of broken electrical stuff and gave it me for free, but i cant steal from charity so i ended up giving them a sweet donation. Upon refection i think they got the better end of the deal. Clever people. The stock here are the same as every other shop in Cradley, rubbish 90's toys and Friends VHS tapes but its run by true hustles, making it the best charity shop in town.

I first encountered this secret, used furniture, charity shop heaven when working on a project that…read morerequired 10 vintage wardrobes. The staff were amazing, did us an even better deal as I was working for a charity and even delivered for a small fee. Since that time about 5 years ago i often pop back either for a mooch or when I have specific furniture needs. It's a warehouse space with minimal parking out front but you'll know you've reached the right place as you'll spot the mini buses outside. With regular pick ups it's the type of place you should visit regularly and if this one is a bit far out for you then they have a few other branches in Bilston and Coventry too. They mainly sell furniture but they also have a little room full of crockery, knik-knaks and assorted bric-a-brac. You will get a bargain here. I've bought two standard lamps with big shades for less than £25, midwinter 50's serving dishes and the most random printer table that looks like oversized books. Admittedly that wasn't designed as a printer table but it was the right size and i couldn't resist the whimsy of it. For all your vintage shopping needs, charity feel good factor and a good mooch you should visit here. Even if you don't buy anything the staff are helpful and give good banter.

I love vintage, but I can't always afford to sustain my passion. That's where Community Transport…read morecomes in. A huge warehouse full of old and/or vintage furniture, with a small little shop tagged on the side which has shelves of vintage homewares, ceramics, records, books and other trinkets - plus a large selection of mirrors! It works like a charity shop - the sales of all goods go towards sustaining the transport service in the area which consists of mini buses transporting people in need about. Awesome! More awesome are the bargains to be had - we got the weirdest drawer unit in the shape of a pile of giant books for £20, a 1970s set of decorative bowls for £12 and a large ornate mirror for £5! Win!

well i was refused help my worker push me to get gabbys as id try some and for 2 months they lasted…read moreme i got my life back i was able to plan stuff go out etc etc so my worker dodged my doc appointment an hour before she my worker she made both appointments and she was in the same building while i was seeing the doc she sent a random guy who i didnt know so he didnt know me or have my paper work who should have known whats been going on for the last 6 months he had nothing cuz my worker couldnt careless i get so ill i have to be rushed in to hospital not all the time but 40% of the time i do my gp said i have to go through the where house now the only thing i can do to get help is to start hurming (cutting) my self i would rather have cuts then go through my illness so ask your self do these people realy care or is it just a easy lazy job lazy breed people who only care for them self and there next pay check,,,,,,,,