Second Hand September with St Catherine’s
Today marks the start of “Second Hand September”, a campaign that encourages people to only shop second hand for the whole month. We challenge you to take on this task with St Catherine’s, like our loyal and creative customer Tomasz.
We have 14 shops across West Sussex and East Surrey that raise vital funds so we can continue to deliver expert end of life care and bereavement support to local families. It is thanks to the generosity of our supporters that donate their unwanted items and shop in our stores that we can deliver these important services to our community.
Tomasz Ciesolka has been a loyal and regular customer at our furniture store in Crawley since he moved to the area. Tomasz’s “before and after” pictures prove that shopping second hand doesn’t have to be fusty and dusty but can be stylish and sophisticated instead.
Tomasz tells us more:
“I moved into a one bed flat in Crawley four years ago and it was completely empty – I had nothing. I couldn’t afford to buy all new furniture so I searched online to see what charity shops were nearby to see if there was anything worthwhile. One of the shops I came across was St Catherine’s, where I realised I could buy lots of unique, good quality pieces for a fraction of the price. Now ninety five percent of everything I have is from St Catherine’s.”
Our furniture store in Denvale Trade Park, Crawley, stocks and sells everything you could need to furnish, decorate, and kit out your home – whatever your style and preferences. Everything from sofas, beds, and armchairs, to lamps, crockery sets, and ornaments, as well kitchen appliances, exercise equipment, and home electricals.
Tomasz says:
“A couple of months ago I moved to a slightly bigger place. Some of my latest purchases include a sofa, a TV, and a dishwasher – all in very good condition and very good value for money. I’ve also picked up multiple Dyson vacuum cleaners – I nearly have one for every room now!
“Every time a new season comes I like to mix up the decoration in my house. Over time I’ve collected lots of glass vases and ornaments, these are some of my favourite items. I don’t see these sorts of things in my neighbours’ houses. Everything in my home is unique, I like to think of it as a show home.
“Almost every time I go to St Catherine’s shop, I find something I would love to buy but I am restricted by the amount of space I have at my place – I need a bigger house! The staff are always very friendly and what’s even better is that the money I spend goes to an amazing cause.”
Lukas Boutholeau, Assistant Shop Manager, said:
“I think that Tomasz’s home is a brilliant example of some of the really interesting and special donations that we have available in our shops. Tomasz has collected a real array of items, and by shopping with us he has been able to express his personality throughout his home. With our shops, it might be luck of the draw what you manage to find, but it’s so much more rewarding and your uniqueness can really flourish.”
As well as the obvious benefits for our charity, shopping pre-loved is great for the planet because it keeps products in circulation for longer and stops them from ending up in landfill prematurely. Whether you reuse an item, repair it to give it a new lease of life, or refurbish and repurpose it into something else, there are so many ways to make the most out of your unique charity shop finds.
What are you waiting for? Pop by our furniture store to see what we have to offer, or visit your local St Catherine’s shop for more smaller homeware items, clothing, jewellery, books, and much more. You can also shop with us online on eBay and Depop. Your support means we can continue be there for local people facing terminal illness, and their families.
We’d love to see what you manage to pick up from our stores throughout Second Hand September, don’t forget to share your pre-loved purchases with us Facebook (St Catherine’s Hospice Shops) and Instagram (@stchcharityshops).
