Facilities management: a case study

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Buying goods

Stocking your service or office with everyday materials can be expensive. In Kind Direct, one of The Prince’s Charities, is a great organisation that can save your not-for-profit organisation money. It redistributes high-quality surplus goods from some of the UK’s top manufacturers and retailers to UK charities working at home and abroad. Goods include: toilet tissue, cleaning supplies, office supplies, toys, toiletries, household goods, clothing, small appliances, tools and much more. Goods can be used to either run your organisation or given to beneficiaries.

It is free for charities to join the network. Once registered, charities place orders through the online catalogue. A small handling fee is payable for the service (generally equivalent to around 10-20 per cent the actual value of the goods) which includes delivery to the charity’s door.  

The service helps not-for-profit organisations stretch their valuable resources further. Over 2,500 charities and not-for-profit organisations have joined the In Kind Direct since the beginning of 2008. At present there are just under 4,000 charities registered tackling a huge range of causes from children’s charities to housing projects. Around 60 per cent of these organisations have an income below £50,000 per year.

Useful links

• British Institute of Facilities Management
• Charity Property Help - help with managing your property assets.

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