Comments on: Mary Queen of Charity Shops – Final Thoughts http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2009/06/17/mary-queen-of-charity-shops-final-thoughts/ Vintage Clothing & Retro Style Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:24:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Phoebe http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2009/06/17/mary-queen-of-charity-shops-final-thoughts/#comment-558 Phoebe Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:07:26 +0000 http://www.retrochick.co.uk/retroblog/?p=898#comment-558 I think that the whole point of charity shops has been missed in this series. I know people who have no choice but to shop in charity shops. If they had £5 to spend on an item of clothing they would spend it on something new rather than something that someone else has worn. Charity shops serve 3 main purposes. 1. to raise money for charities and worthy causes 2. enable the poorest people in society to furnish their homes and clothe their families. 3. Give volunteers a sense of purpose. I was in a charity shop the other day with a friend and they have put their prices right up since this series was shown. For example, second hand paperback books that used to cost around 25p each were now priced up at £1.99 and a child's video board game was priced at £3.00. It's reminiscent of the problem with celebrity chefs promoting cheaper cuts of meat to 'middle England', you then you see the price of these cuts of meat rise significantly as a result of the increased demand by people who can afford to pay more. Re the issue of her trying to raise the 'calibre' of staff at charity shops. These kind of jobs give people who would otherwise be isolated, either through age, ill health or disability an opportunity to get out of their homes, raise their own self esteem and feel like they are contributing something to society. So it not only appears to be the case of throwing charitable donations on the scrap heap, Mary also wants to further isolate disempower the individuals who give up their time to work in these shops. It is not a case of people 'wanting to buy cheap, cheap, cheap'as Mary states, it is more a case of people NEEDING to buy cheap cheap cheap.... Charity shops are for the needy not the greedy. If she has any sense of social responsibility she should rethink her latest project and leave well alone. If she wants to raise more money for charities I'm sure she has plenty of wealthy contacts who can put their hands into their pockets. I think that the whole point of charity shops has been missed in this series. I know people who have no choice but to shop in charity shops. If they had £5 to spend on an item of clothing they would spend it on something new rather than something that someone else has worn. Charity shops serve 3 main purposes. 1. to raise money for charities and worthy causes 2. enable the poorest people in society to furnish their homes and clothe their families. 3. Give volunteers a sense of purpose.
I was in a charity shop the other day with a friend and they have put their prices right up since this series was shown. For example, second hand paperback books that used to cost around 25p each were now priced up at £1.99 and a child’s video board game was priced at £3.00. It’s reminiscent of the problem with celebrity chefs promoting cheaper cuts of meat to ‘middle England’, you then you see the price of these cuts of meat rise significantly as a result of the increased demand by people who can afford to pay more.

Re the issue of her trying to raise the ‘calibre’ of staff at charity shops. These kind of jobs give people who would otherwise be isolated, either through age, ill health or disability an opportunity to get out of their homes, raise their own self esteem and feel like they are contributing something to society. So it not only appears to be the case of throwing charitable donations on the scrap heap, Mary also wants to further isolate disempower the individuals who give up their time to work in these shops.

It is not a case of people ‘wanting to buy cheap, cheap, cheap’as Mary states, it is more a case of people NEEDING to buy cheap cheap cheap…. Charity shops are for the needy not the greedy. If she has any sense of social responsibility she should rethink her latest project and leave well alone. If she wants to raise more money for charities I’m sure she has plenty of wealthy contacts who can put their hands into their pockets.

]]> By: Idiosyncratic Style» Blog Archive » IFB’s Links a La Mode http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2009/06/17/mary-queen-of-charity-shops-final-thoughts/#comment-547 Idiosyncratic Style» Blog Archive » IFB’s Links a La Mode Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:34:50 +0000 http://www.retrochick.co.uk/retroblog/?p=898#comment-547 [...] Retro Chick : Mary Queen of Charity Shops [...] [...] Retro Chick : Mary Queen of Charity Shops [...]

]]> By: Super Kawaii Mama » Blog Archive » Dear Weekend 27.06.09 http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2009/06/17/mary-queen-of-charity-shops-final-thoughts/#comment-545 Super Kawaii Mama » Blog Archive » Dear Weekend 27.06.09 Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:40:18 +0000 http://www.retrochick.co.uk/retroblog/?p=898#comment-545 [...] Retro Chick : Mary Queen of Charity Shops – Now it’s all over, some final thoughts [...] [...] Retro Chick : Mary Queen of Charity Shops – Now it’s all over, some final thoughts [...]

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