The Business on RTÉ Radio 1 featured a report on a novel idea on the programme: sourcing your Christmas gifts from charity and second-hand shops. Liam Geraghty spoke with a few shoppers and volunteers.
Shopper Sorcha Kenny told Liam that she turned to charity shops because she loves fashion (she recently bought a pair of gold winged boots for €6 that she likes to think the singer Róisín Murphy handed in) but was starting to worry about the disposable nature of her purchases.
"I became more interested in sustainable fashion and the environmental impact of the fashion industry because it’s one of…the biggest polluters, industry-wise, in the world."
"And I was kind of blind to this, you know? I was as guilty as anyone of going into the mainstream – won’t name any names but those shops we all know where clothes are cheap – and, you know, filling up a basket and not really thinking about it and thinking about where those clothes come from."
Liam met comedian, Gearóid Farrelly, who recounted one of his favourite charity shop purchases.
"It’s a novelty book, a novelty cookery book about dating. And it’s called Eat Your Way to Finding True Love…There’s a little inscription on the inside and it says ‘To Noreen: Happy Christmas 2002. Love, Mam.’
"I think you have to be a particular piece of work to get your single daughter a book called Eat Your Way to Finding True Love. I think that was a very quiet Christmas in Noreen’s house!"
It’s not all about the gold winged boots and dating cookbooks. Volunteer Bernie Wolverson thinks patronising charity shops helps people too.
"I’m retired now and I’m single and I’ve nothing to do…I feel good working here and meeting people and I think that’s important. And another thing I’d say to somebody out there: Don’t be lonely. Come down. This is a little family here."
Listen back to the full programme on RTÉ Radio 1 above.
