Pictured above: Yvonne Colebourne

The boom-time trend for well-heeled home owners to 'chuck out the chintz,' and refurnish in line with latest fashions, has been blown away by the recession, according to an East Midlands charity.

Even middle class donors, who once seemed to change their furniture in time with the seasons, are squeezing a few extra years out of 'big ticket' items like sofas, chairs, beds and wardrobes, says Yvonne Colebourne of Nottingham-based Family First.

Until the recession began to bite it was quite common for items barely a few years old, but still in excellent condition, to be discarded by householders seeking the latest look, generating a lot of revenue for the 'good cause' stores that sprang up to handle the expanding second-hand trade.

But the new age of austerity has spelled disaster for many charities that once thrived on the sale of top quality second hand furniture.

Ms Colebourne said: "Since the start of the recession, I know of six charities in Nottingham alone that have stopped making collections.

"There just isn't enough good quality furniture to go round," she added. "People aren't giving the way they used to, because even the better off are feeling the effects of the recession."

Ms Colebourne added: "We are the last in Nottingham, and I think one of only two furniture reclamation charities in the county, to remain in business."

Family First, part of the LHA-ASRA social housing and regeneration group, offers a free collection service for unwanted furniture, in good condition, which meets basic safety requirements.

Items are graded for quality, and are either earmarked for repairs and cleaning, or shipped to one of the charity's three 'Recycle Reuse' stores in Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, and Hucknall.

"We operate a rotation system," Ms Colebourne added. "If an item doesn't sell in two weeks in one store, we move it to one of the others. It keeps the stock fresh."

Unlike most charity shops, Family First's outlets offer a 'High Street' shopping experience similar to the commercial retail sector. Donated furniture is laid out in themed 'rooms,' displaying bedroom furniture or nursery equipment, for example, to best effect.

"I think we have survived as well as we have - our sales are increasing even in the recession - because we operate as a real business," said Ms Colebourne. "We have been helped by the fact that we also sell new furniture which arrives in the UK in flat-pack form, and is assembled by inmates of a nearby prison.

"And sometimes furniture manufacturers have end-of-line ranges that they don't want to send out to the stores, and which they would otherwise put through the wood chipper.

"Whenever we get a chance like that, we take it," she added.