7 Apr 2023 Shop News

Charity Shop Queen

Holmfirth local, Cicely Rae, loves to shop second hand. As well as being kind to the planet, Cicely enjoys finding unique items while supporting her local charity shops. 

 

“Holmfirth has some great charity shops, I love that you basically have one chance to buy the thing that you see, everything is essentially a one off and you’ve got to make your decision that day.

"I have a list of things that I need, and you will find it in a charity shop, you just will, and when you do it’s so much more satisfying than buying things new. 

"Our perspective changed when we became parents, it just made us look at the way that we treat the earth and made us really think about the fact our kids are going to be living on this earth longer than us. It really made us switch and think how we could better protect the planet.

"We’re trying to teach the kids about making good choices for the planet and shopping second hand is a really simple way to show them. 

"Whenever we go charity shopping and there’s a toy they like, I think, yes, that’s really good, it’s a plastic toy and we’ve not bought it new.

“I say to the kids if you really want that and it’s your heart’s desire then fair enough, but we already have lots at home so perhaps you could think about donating something back.

"Charity shopping is an easy way to introduce to children the idea that we can do our bit and be kinder to the planet. The idea that there’s already enough stuff that exists for everyone; clothes, toys, books, we just need to go and find it.

"One of my favourite finds is a darning mushroom that I picked up in one of The Kirkwood’s shops, it’s decorative but also has a really practical use too. My brother is a really talented seamstress, he does visible mending and he’s amazing at it. If we can prolong the lives of our clothes and wear them for longer, that’s so much better for the environment. 

"I absolutely love looking, the nostalgia of seeing things from when I was a kid, unlocking past memories in your head, it’s amazing. It’s so wild that you can spark bits of your memory through things that you find in charity shops." 

Another of Cicely’s most treasured charity shop purchases is a pair of hand thrown mugs. 

“I found these amazing mugs for 50p each and then realised when I got home that they were Chris Jenkins mugs. They’re so special, one of our most treasured possessions. We love his work and already had some in our collection, it’s incredible what you can find in charity shops.”