Charity Begins Shopping Tours

ARE you a designer clothes freak with a Primark budget? Do you love going to vintage clothes shops but find you just don’t have the time to trawl through racks and racks of garbage in the hope of finding a gem? Then Charity Begins Shopping Tours could be just the thing for you.

Previous shoppers have bagged Marni tops, a Hoss Intropia skirt and Bally shoes.

Set up by Kathryn Anderson earlier this year, the aim of the tours is to take shoppers to charity stores in London which have premium stock, often donated by designers themselves.

And of course, it’s not all about you, it’s also about giving back. All of the shops on the tour are affiliated to a charity.

Whilst you may wonder what the point of going on a shopping tour is (a lot of people love discovering a bargain for themselves) Kathryn has taken the time to do all the groundwork and sift out the best charity shops in the capital so you don’t have to.

She’s built up a relationship with many of the shop assistants, who let her know when exciting things have come in. And she’s a tough customer too - only taking shoppers to places that are serious about style and guaranteed to have some gems. It’s time-saving and whether you’re from London or not, you’ll probably discover shops you didn’t know existed.

Charity shop shopping

“I don’t go to rubbish places, I hunt them out. It’s important how the shop looks and the care and attention they’ve put into their display. Lots of charity shops now have consultants who help them to organise the shops and make them more appealing. Things are displayed in colour and size, and in proper sections. If they’re not up to scratch, I don’t include them in a tour,” Kathryn said.

Previous shoppers have bagged Marni tops, a Hoss Intropia skirt and Bally shoes. Whether you find a designer bargain or not, Kathryn believes that charity shop shopping is way better than the high street.

“Rather than buy cheap high street stuff I think it’s much better to buy something of good quality from a charity shop. For example, I always wear a pair of £5 Italian leather ankle boots I found in one of the shops a while ago. They’re as good as new and will last me for ages.”

Amongst the shops the tours visit are Oxfam, Save the Children, Trinity Hospice and Cancer Research. A one-day tour costs £25 with 10 per cent of profits given back to the groups’ choice of charity at the end of the tour.

Certainly where the shoppers are concerned it may not be entirely altruistic, but at the end of the day, everyone’s a winner.

Visit www.charity-begins.co.uk for more information.