By Julie James
Have you ever spent time browsing through charity shops looking for pre-loved and vintage fashion? Huddersfield has numerous charity shops selling a fabulous eclectic range of fashion for everyone. The wonderful thing about pre-loved clothes is that an impulse buy is just that, it doesn’t break the bank, it is always a bargain, it is always fun to buy and never to be saved for a special occasion.
Retail shopping can be so much fun when walking into a charity shop bursting at the seams with pre-loved clothes, shoes and accessories and walking back out with that perfect blouse, a gorgeous little black dress, a suit in perfect condition or a pair of designer shoes. Someone’s no longer loved items can now be carefully hung in a new home ready to be loved in, partied in and photographed in.
If you want to experience the buzz of finding that special outfit and supporting a local or national charity at the same time you should spend an afternoon in Huddersfield Town Centre, visiting the charity shops, where you are almost certain to return home with a purchase, something unique and gorgeous. We have made it easy for you with our guide below of the charity shops you will find on your doorstep.
After all the restrictions, it is great to see these shops with their doors back open and in much need of your support, so get yourselves down town and be amazed at what you might find.
Kirkwood Hospice Charity Shop
Situated on Byram Street and with a second shop in the Packhorse Arcade both shops have an extensive range of fashion on offer. You might pick up a bargain from labels such as Marks & Spencer, River Island, Topshop, Wallis and currently some Stella McCartney sportswear. The friendly team of volunteers are always on hand with a warm smile and helpful advice, but are happy to leave you to browse at your leisure. If you cannot find what you want in the store, Kirkwood Hospice have an ebay store Kirkwood Hospice | eBay for Charity where you can browse at your leisure at home.
Kirkwood Hospice opened its doors in March 1987 to care for local people living with life-limiting illnesses and provide support for their families and friends, free of charge.
Today, The Kirkwood is not just a building, an In-Patient Unit or place of care. They are a movement of people. They are clinical and medical professionals, patients, carers and families. They are employees, supporters and volunteers. Their mission remains the same today, as it did at the very beginning; to provide the very best care for anyone affected by any life limiting illness, every step of the way.
With your support, the Kirkwood shops in Kirklees help to raise over £2 million each year to support local families affected by any life limiting illness, when and where they need it. https://www.thekirkwood.org.uk/
RSPCA
A new addition to New Street is the big, bright and inviting RSPCA shop. With rails full of colourful clothes arranged and displayed in sections with dresses, tops, trousers on display, you can easily spend an enjoyable hour searching for that special outfit. There is also a fabulous selection of shoes and accessories and a great selection of beach and summer wear, just remember to give yourself plenty of time to work your way through large selection in this great shop.
The RSPCA are proud to be the oldest welfare charity around.
They were the first to introduce a law to protect animals and work hard to ensure that all animals can live free from pain and suffering. Through their campaigns, they raise standards of care, and awareness of issues, affecting animals today.
They rely on your support to help them push for changes in the law to improve the welfare of animals on farms, in labs, in the wild, in paddocks or our homes. Through investigations and prosecutions they stand up to those who deliberately harm animals to send out a clear message – they will not tolerate animal abuse. Their highly trained officers tackle neglect and cruelty on every level working to stamp out animal cruelty.
Animals can rely on the RSPCA to rescue them when they need us most. To rehabilitate them wherever possible, provide them with the very best veterinary care and to find them new homes, either through rehoming or release.
British Heart Foundation
Based on New Street, the British Heart Foundation shop is bursting with pre-loved clothes, shoes and accessories. The store is set out really well so whatever it is you are looking for, you can head to the right area. Your search could find you picking out labels such as Joules, Zara, Monsoon all great high street labels as well as a good selection of leisure wear.
The British Heart Foundation fund over £100 million of research each year into all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them. Heart diseases, stroke, vascular dementia and diabetes.
This research has given us machines that can restart hearts, the ability to fix arteries in tiny babies, the power to give someone a heart they weren’t born with, and so much more.
But heart and circulatory diseases still kill 1 in 4 in the UK, they cause heartbreak on every street. And that’s why the work of British Heart Foundation is as urgent and vital as ever.
As quoted by British Heart Foundation “People’s donations have got us this far. Every breakthrough we’ve made, funded by people like you”
Cancer Research UK
Head to Ramsden Street, where you will find the inviting bright shop display that is Cancer Research UK. Here you can explore the many items that hit the shelves daily, set out on the rails in a great colour coordinated display. Dig through the colourful rails and you will find fashion items from great labels such as Coast and Monsoon and shoes from Next, Clarks, Moda in Pelle to name a few.
As well as the great Huddersfield store, Cancer Research UK have a number of ways to shop, meaning you can shop 24/7, wherever you are. For a handpicked selection of quality clothes, homeware and more you can visit one of their Marketplaces:
ASOS Marketplace
eBay store
Depop store
Designer collection on Vestiaire Collective
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/
Barnardo’s Shop
It is easy to spot the Barnardo’s shop on New Street, with it’s colourful display and distinctive green logo. This is another shop full of fashion, shoes and accessories with great high street labels and unique items. Arranged in colour coordinated sections, it is easy to head for the section you want. Labels include Dorothy Perkins, Roman Originals, Marks & Spencer and also a selection of unique labels, just dig deep when you are there.
Barnardo’s also have alternative ways to shop online:
Barnardo’s | Online Charity Shop | Believe in Children (barnardos.org.uk)
Barnardo’s Charity | eBay Stores
Children’s charity Barnardo’s works to transform the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children. Every year, proceeds raised in their Barnardo’s stores help thousands of families to build a better future.
Last year more than 358,000 children, young people, parents and carers were supported by Barnardo’s through more than 800 services across the UK. Services include young carers, care leavers, foster carers and adoptive parents, training and skills parenting classes. https://www.barnardos.org.uk/
Oxfam
Another New Street shop is Oxfam, based on New Street and also with a second store on Colne Road. The shops are brimming with undiscovered clothing gems so don’t forget to make Oxfam one of your stops on this charity shop trail. In addition to these stores you can bag yourself a designer bargain at one of their specialist boutiques or check out their ex-catwalk wedding dresses at one of their bridal departments
The Oxfam Online Shop is also bursting with unique, exciting and exceptional quality second-hand women’s clothing in all sizes and styles. They have 20,000 items of second-hand and new women’s clothing and accessories. From skirts and dresses to jumpers and coats, they have got everything you need to make that perfect outfit. There’s always something new to find, so check back regularly for first dibs on their latest stock. https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/womens-clothing/category/womens-clothing
Oxfam works to tackle to inequality that keeps people poor and to save, protect and rebuild lives when disaster strikes.
By shopping at Oxfam, you will give clothes a longer life by keeping them from landfill. You will also be reinvesting your money into helping the poorest people on the planet earn a fair living and beat poverty. https://www.oxfam.org.uk/
Mind
Mind is a mental health charity, providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Mind campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
Mind has a confidential information and support line. Mind infoline, available on 0300 123 3393 (lines open 9am-6pm, Monday – Friday). Their online mental health community is a safe space where anyone aged 18 and over with experience of a mental health problem, can share their story, connect with others, access Mind’s wider information and resources and give support in return. You can find out more at mind.org.uk/community. Mind offer free resources for employers to help improve mental wellbeing. For more information, visit mind.org.uk/work
Mind charity shops have hit record breaking sales of £1.5 million since reopening but this mental health charity urgently needs volunteers to help recoup the predicted £13m loss of retail generated income since the first lockdown. Simultaneously, Mind has seen a huge increase in demand for their trusted information and support services, of which Mind shops have always been a key source of funding. Last year, 20 million people accessed Minds online and print information – the highest on record, and there were 117k mental health queries responded to by the charity’s Information team via phone, email and webchat. With increased demand on the charity, and decreased funds, Mind shops need volunteers and donations now more than ever.
