St Catherine’s head of trading, Rachel Hewitt, shows how fashionable and affordable it is to dress for every day of the week with bargains and brands from the charity’s shops!

This week I set myself the challenge of finding outfits for every weekday from the St Catherine’s charity shops.

Left: Top – River Island, £3 (Longridge)
Cardigan – Topshop, £3 (Chorley)
Trousers – M&S, £5 (Fulwood)

It never fails to amaze me how incredibly generous our supporters are, and we receive some fantastic, high-quality donations for our shops across South Ribble, Preston and Chorley.

Many people already recognise the value of visiting charity shops – the bargains, brands, and the satisfaction of supporting a worthy cause, for example. But I think some are still reluctant to buy pre-loved items because they have the misconception that they’re no good. So I decided to showcase how affordable and fashionable it really is!

Our shops boast clothing and accessories to suit all styles, sizes, and occasions, from casual, everyday outfits, to work wear, formal attire, and even wedding dresses.

Left: Jacket – H&M, £3 (Ashton)
Trousers – H&M, £3 (Lostock Hall)
Shoes – Matalan, £3 (Preston city centre)

Something I really enjoy about the charity shop culture is that you can buy an outfit for a specific event, and donate it back to the hospice afterwards before buying a new ensemble for your next engagement. It’s so affordable, that you could potentially wear designer labels to impress your friends all year round, without breaking the bank!

We also stock brand new items, such as scarves and handbags, in our gift shop based in the hospice’s reception in Lostock Hall.

If you’re still not convinced, I’d love to encourage you to visit your local St Catherine’s shop and take a look at the latest stock – I’m confident you’ll bag a great bargain or two!

Please click here to see our list of shops.

Left: Top – Papaya at Matalan, £2 (Longton)
Skirt – Hobbs, £3 (Leyland)

Left: Coat – Nam & Co, £12 (Fulwood)
Bag – £21.95 (brand new at the hospice reception gift shop)

Below: Dress – Next, £7 (Penwortham)
Shoes – Next, £7 (Longton)