If the charity bag has no identity marks and numbers, don’t fill it

AS a volunteer with an Irish charity, I know there is a problem in relation to unidentified collection bags, as Dominic O’Neill pointed out (Irish Examiner letters, October 11).

All major charities that rely on door-to-door collections have clearly labelled bags displaying the agency name, address and registered charity number, plus a landline phone number.

The bags that Mr O’Neill mentioned are a common problem for legitimate charities and, it is alleged, the proceeds earned from the sale of second-hand clothes from these bags do not always go to deserving causes. Some collectors may claim to sell the clothes they collect at a ‘charitable price’. In reality, they may be commercial companies intent on making a profit.