Chiswick charity shops urge pre-Christmas clear out to help people on low incomes

Image: Shelter Boutique charity shop at 82 Turnham Green Terrace

Donations dip as demand rises in Chiswick

Chiswick’s charity shops are urging local residents to clear out their wardrobes and cupboards and make donations to meet the Christmas demand for second hand presents.

While donations have been down in recent months, staff at several shops have told The Chiswick Calendar they are hopeful the Christmas spirit will inspire people to give and make somebody’s Christmas.

Donations tend to drop around this time of year, according to the General Manager of Shelter Boutique on Turnham Green Terrace, Debbie Hutchinson.

“Normally it goes down. I’ve been in this trade for nearly 30 years so normally we find it dips a bit with clothing,” she said.

They are hoping a social media post by Anne MacFarlane, reposted by Nigella Lawson and written about by Caitlin Moran in The Times, will spread the word that clearing out your cupboards before Christmas rather than waiting until after, could make all the difference to some desperate parent. She wrote:

“The lady at the charity shop today told me that she wishes people would clear out their children’s old toys in the lead-up to Christmas — rather than after, because she always sees a number of parents in the days before Christmas, looking for toys for their little ones, who might be strapped for cash.

“She said there’s very rarely anything in just before — but they get inundated with toys in the days after.”

Image: Mary’s Living & Giving at 152 Chiswick High Road

At Mary’s Living & Giving on Chiswick High Road, one of the shop’s volunteers, Chrisanne, told us this is the perfect time for a clear-out. It is, after all, the season of good will.

“People like to do a clean-up and offer a goodwill gesture by giving to the less fortunate,” she said.

Portland Mitchell, Assistant Manager at Cancer Research UK, told me:

“It’s a very effective way of keeping your wardrobe up to date, getting rid of things you don’t want and helping the charity.”

Charity shops remain a vital resource for both those donating and those shopping. They are hopeful more people will sort through their belongings ahead of the holidays, and they will see an uptick in donations over the coming weeks.

Image: Cancer Research UK at 278 Chiswick High Road 

Up to a quarter of adults expected to buy second-hand gifts this Christmas

According to research carried out by Oxfam, a study of 2,311 adults who celebrate Christmas found that 24% are likely to buy a second hand gift this year, the most popular gifts being pre-loved books (34%), toys (30%) and board games (17%).

The survey, carried out by YouGov for the charity, found that more than half say their main reasons are that it is better for the environment (57%) and cheaper than buying new (51%).

Some shops in Chiswick have seen a surge in donations, possibly as a result of the Caitlin Moran / Nigella Lawson effect.

“We’ve had lots of giant donations today, I think people are doing a big cleanup. There are big bags of donations” Chrisanne from Mary’s Living & Giving told us.

Images: Manager says ‘unique’ items at Cancer Research charity are drawing in shoppers; Miscellaneous section at Mind on Turnham Green Terrace is popular with Christmas presents this year 

What Christmas presents are demand in Chiswick’s charity shops?

One thing is clear, they all say shoppers are still on the hunt for bargains, unique gifts, and festive decorations. The charity shops I spoke to told me customers are on the hunt for everything from festive outfits to more thoughtful gifts for their families.

Cancer Research’s Portland Mitchell said winter coats are popular sellers, unsurprisingly, at this time of year. They also have other more unique fashionable pieces styled in the front window which Portland says are popular.

“Yes, we do [get people coming in for presents], mostly for their daughters because we sell some quite unique pieces here that you won’t find in some of the other shops,” Portland said.

At Mind on Turnham Green Terrace, Nathan Grant said customers specifically come in looking for Christmas gifts too. Pointing to a designated area for gifts, he told me:

“We have shelves where we put things designated as Christmas present-related, which is just an area for miscellaneous items.”

The shelves are stocked with ornaments at Mind and books and board games are front and centre, a popular target for shoppers. Nathan said party clothes, sparkly dresses and shoes are popular too, and they have put them in a prominent position in the shop window.

Images: Shelter Boutique TGT General Manager Debbie Hutchinson, popular miscellaneous section at Shelter 

Christmas decorations and jigsaw puzzles in high demand

Across the road at Shelter Boutique, General Manager Debbie Hutchinson said Christmas decorations and jigsaw puzzles were particularly in demand.

“We have quite a lot of Christmas decorations from Marks & Spencer which will go” she said.

“It’s normally Christmas gifts, secret Santa stuff,” she said, adding that jewellery, bags and shoes were always in high demand.

Sought-after items do not last long, she said.