Earlier this year, my niece was due to play a big part in her school musical.  This year they were to perform ‘Our House’ based on the hit songs of 80s ska band Madness.  As the opening night drew near, a major panic unfolded.  

She had no time left to find a range of outfits.  The large cast had already stripped her local charity shops bare of anything with an 80s vibe.

So I offered to pop into our two Berkeley shops – Longfield and Break – and was amazed at the choice and quality of clothes, and the value for money.

I asked for advice and the ladies really helped me to pick out the right looks. Baggy trousers?  Not on my list but oh what fun we had.  I bought a number of items and also popped into Dursley which has a handful of charity or second hand shops (as does Thornbury).

Bargains that I picked up in Berkeley included a pink sequinned Karen Millen top, plus a 100% cashmere jumper as good as new for my little sis!!  When my niece and her mother saw the clothes, I could see it must be love-love-love as they both staked their claims.

As a reward for my effort, I was given a ticket for the show.  The show was splendid and when all the kids had gone away, my sister and I enjoyed a late nightcap.  Were all the teachers in the pub?  Not in 2020!

The clothes that won’t be worn again will go back to a charity shop.

For days after the show, I had an ear worm going around in my head. Madness!  But at long last it went away.  And I never thought I would miss it half as much as I do….

If you have clothes to get rid of but they are in a tatty state or you are not sure they are good enough for resale, please take them to the charity shops anyway.

The clothes which they cannot sell in the shop they can sell by weight, thus still raising money for charity.  Those clothes go to other good causes, to poorer countries, or to recycling.