The Children's Society Anmeldelser 

Visited today and received a very warm welcome from staff and volunteers (as did all customers who visited whilst I was browsing). I love this shop - very clean and tidy, well set out, excellent quality stocked items, and everything is very reasonably priced unlike some charity shops I visit. I left today with a gorgeous red patterned floaty blouse which I will pair with the trousers I purchased on a previous visit. A lovely summer outfit for just less than £6. Give this lovely shop a try, you won't be disappointed.

Met someone called Nerys at the Chelsea Flower Show. They seemed disinterested and rude and like i wasnt deemed me to be important to them. I dont have much money and can be shy so didnt say much so I dont think they thought much of me. I was adopted through The Childrens Society when i was a child and re-live traumas from my childhood but have thought of them as a place that helped my. I love gardening and nature is my happy place so i was really looking forward to the show. So i was disappointed by the over the top and self-centred ego being displayed by the childrens society managers when i went to see their garden. Its stayed with me for the last two weeks.

Staff are so rude. The manager won’t help a customer use the card machine she will just rip the item from your hand and tell you you are rude for not knowing how to use it.

She then gets her over the top head on and asks you to leave because you were apparently shouting at her. I’ve never known staff like it, this is all because I pointed out she was rude!!

I once went into the shop forgetting all about the rude manager. She shouts at me tells me she banned me for being rude. I asked her if she was serious, people are so weird, talk about power trip.

Have complained to head office no need for her to be so rude to anyone she literally does this all the time to people. They defo need to appoint new management. This is awful behaviour and I do find it hard to use new technology due to the joys of ADHD and this women made this 10 times worse wouldn’t help.

This woman needs some customer service training. Treating customers like rubbish then trying to embarrass them when you are on a power trip because a customer can’t use the card machine is just what you need on a stressful day.

I only wanted to buy a dress!

Ollerton Children's Society, Nottinghamshire.

Disgraceful behaviour from one of the members of staff today. I came in and asked if they were accepting donations, to which she abruptly said "what is it?" So I said mainly some clothes and a television; again, she brusquely said "it's not a great big square thing is it?" And I said no, it was a small one, so she said they'd accept it.

I brought in the tele and asked where she wanted it, and she sighed and said "I'll have to take it straight off you"

I went back to the car to get a small box of things, brought it back in and asked where she wanted it and she snapped "you'll have to put it on there [counter], you can't put it on the floor because people will be falling all over it" (I had never attempted to put it on the floor)

When I returned with two bags of lovely clothes, she was talking to another lady who was asking if she could donate. I heard her again really abruptly ask "well, what is it?" The lady said "I've got a boot-full of clothing; ladies clothes, kids clothes." The member of staff seemed exasperated with this but replied "okay then"; the lady donating said "well, do you want it or not?" To which the member of staff snapped "I said yes!!" She then looked and me and snapped "you'll have to bring it in the back because you can't leave it on the floor!" (Never attempted to leave it on the floor)

I followed her into the back, she was carrying a bag of donations from the other lady, which she then threw with great force into a store room. I should have turned around with my bags and taken them to a charity shop that do want donations, because this shop clearly does not want donations. I am absolutely mortified with this member of staff's behaviour and I will not be donating again. Absolutely disgusting behaviour and disrespect of peoples' donations. There would be no shop if people did not donate their items.

Herne Bay shop a rude unpleasant woman struts about the shop most days alienating most people that come in and never comeback losing money for the charity shame on her. But worst of is the man with black hair a glasses steals from the shop if something of worth came in it will it not see the shop floor it will go home with him revolting

Children's society shop Torquay has mixed staff and volunteers, in as much as some are very pleasant and some are miserable, grumpy and give the impression that they hate the job and the customers. I don't bother going in anymore whilst these staff are there.
One of the paid staff was complaining to me that she got paid no extra if she stayed longer and seemed very unhappy to be there but I also had impression she was talking down to me.
Though she was fine with people she knew.
They do have quality items there and some staff and volunteers are brilliant, but the others let the shop down.
Though locally they have a reputation of expecting too much from volunteers so maybe that's why they're grumpy. Might just be better if they left rather than being unpleasant to customers, to make the point they don't like how they're treated.

Update:
As more than a month passed since this review and noone from Children's Society seems to bother comment on this I assume that this charity's management support their staff illegal actions. So just be avare of this when purchase anything in this place.

Bought "partially tested" little hoover, to clean a car (not much battery needed, so wasn't concerned about it). At a time 2 workers at the shop, and we had a pleasant conversation, as we always do. It is small place (New Ollerton) and I am regular customer. Usually I never take a receipt (clothes, brick and brack, etc.), so as I bought quite a lot of items it slipped my mind, that I should do it with electronics. At home I find out that hoover does not work properly. It works for few seconds and turns off. Battery on "green". So, as according to UK law (Consumer rights Act 2015), even I don't have a receipt, but can prove purchase with bank statement, shop's "partially tested" label on the plug, and fact that all workers in the shop know me very well (I never had any issues through past 10 years) I went back to the shop to fix the situation. There was quite a bit of people inside. I went straight to the till, waited when customer was served, and explained situation to the lady at the till. She said that she cannot take it back because I have no receipt. When I tried to explain my right, she started loudly scold me for everyone to hear (I'm almost 50) about not taking receipt, and that she won't do anything about it. Then she mentioned about possibility of "exchange" (whatever it means), and I said ok. But then she continued bragging about receipt, and that it is all my fault. I am dealing with a lot at the moment, and my patience should be better, but I said - fine, take it back and treat it as my donation (£19.99, which for me is significant amount). She said thanks, but still continued monologue about "they coming, without receipts, I can't do, blah blah). I turned around and walked out. She shouted "I'm sorry", on what I replied - you should be. Just to hear back - YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RUDE.
Children in need is an issue very close to my heart, as I grow up in absolute poverty. I don't think this kind of customer treatment (despite being charity, they are OBLIGED to follow country's laws) makes any good for charity. Laying to customers, who probably don't know that they have rights too, to stand up for themselves, treating customers as a naughty children is not the way any customer should feel in such a place.

Store opened late by an obnoxious woman that just took our donation and the locked the door. She did return our shopping bag after a few minutes.

My local store is in Kingstanding (Birmingham). Belinda, the shop manager is fantastic. She has got the shop set up perfectly, I wasn’t aimlessly walking about. I was able to go to each colour section, each size straight away. It was perfect. Belinda was such a help too she also gets 5* for her customer service.
I’ve never been in the shop before and was just passing. I know I will be visiting this store again. Very very happy with all my purchases ( and there was a lot 😀.
Thank you Belinda for a wonderful experience in your shop.

I popped in to the Kingstanding branch, as I donate regular to this shop. The female manager was asking the shop assistant to carry out a foot count for 15 minutes as she had a meeting to attend regarding foot count in the shop. The manager was both rude and incompetent at carrying out tasks in the shop. The Manager needs a Management Training/Customer Service course before she loses any more trade. Staff were lovely and helpful - as ever.

Went to your branch in Downham Market today. Heard the cashier say to two different customers "Could you pay by card please"?. When I took my purchases to the till I was asked the same. I replied that I would be paying by cash. She was clearly not happy about this and said "we don't want to handle cash". Seriously? I told her that cash has been used all these years, thoughout REAL pandemics, REAL viruses etc etc, and it's never stopped the use of cash before. The covid scandal has absolutely nothing to do with shops and businesses trying to do away with cash. I would have believed that a charity would be only too happy to accept cash. Clearly yourselves are in the fortunate position where you can afford to not want cash