This spring, Rennie Grove is launching a reuse campaign across its 26 charity shops, the first of several designed to promote the many benefits that charity retail can bring.
As part of the campaign, Rennie Grove will run a reuse competition, challenging shoppers to get creative with their purchases.
Nicola Flood, buying, merchandising and business development manager for Rennie Grove, explains: “We’re looking for creative, innovative ways to show how purchases can be reused, repurposed or upcycled.
"Simply pop into your local Rennie Grove shop and make your purchase. Decide how you’ll reuse your item, perhaps combining it with something you already have at home.
"Or giving it a new lease of life with some simple adaptations. Then your before and after photos to us at retail.admin@renniegrove.org.
"Show us the original item, tell us where you bought it, explain a bit about your inspiration, and wow us with what you’ve created.”
The idea behind the reuse challenge goes to the heart of charity retail. Preloved items, kindly donated for sale, get a second lease of life.
Some are simply rehomed, reused and enjoyed in their original form. Others are adapted, combined and upcycled to create something new and unique.
The beauty of it is, little ends up in landfill. Charity retail protects the planet and drives change closer to home too, says Nicola.
“When you visit a Rennie Grove shop, every item you donate – or purchase you make - helps fund local hospice care. You can shop local, protect the planet and help families facing life-limiting illness.”
The feel-good factor from charity shopping is a triple whammy, says Nicola. “Customers get a real buzz from discovering hidden gems and reap all the usual rewards of retail therapy, but within budget!”
Nicola hopes the reuse challenge will up the feel-good factor again. “It’s such a great feeling to fashion something new from something ‘old’,” she says. “Customers have made quilts from shirts, sewn bottle bags from pairs of jeans, even created a dress from scarves.”
During the month-long campaign in May, get inspired by your local Rennie Grove shop window and join the campaign. For more information visit www.renniegrove/reusechallenge
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