Shelter’s annual sale raises thousands for the charity

A Stockbridge charity shop has now brought in over £24,000 in less than a week after it stocked its shelves with designer brands and rare collectibles.

The Shelter shop on Rayburn Place opened its 21st annual New Year sale featuring top labels including Armani, Gucci and Ralph Lauren, all donated by the public in recent months.

The homelessness charity took £3,500 in the first hour alone as savvy shoppers queued from 7am to snap up bargains, which also included rare books, toys, cult games and vinyl records.

By the end of the opening day, the shop had taken more than £11,000, and managers revealed that the total has now hit £24,000 – ahead of the final day of the designer sale today.

Rare items sold in the first 24 hours included a signed first edition copy of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which was snapped up for £400, and a set of vintage bagpipes for £200.

Other shoppers got their hands on rare vinyl including original 1960s recordings by The Beatles and Rolling Stones, Japanese art prints, designer and vintage coffee sets and Portmeirion China.

One of the most expensive items for sale, a first edition copy of HG Wells’ classic 1898 novel The War of the Worlds is still available, however, priced at £600.

The shop has been a fixture in the area since 1981. The annual New Year sale of donated designer items started in 2003. The sale raises vital funds for Shelter Scotland’s work to help homeless and badly housed households across Scotland.

Shop manager Peter Jew said: “It’s been 21 years since we held our first January event and I’m delighted that the range of exciting items we’ve been able to offer this year has proven more popular than ever.

“The most important thing, for me, is that every single item sold in the sale was donated over our doorstep — it’s all thanks to support from our local community and supporters.”

He added: “I’d like to thank all of our customers and donors for their generosity and for helping to keep Shelter Scotland fighting against the housing emergency.

“Too many people are denied their right to a safe, secure and affordable home and it’s Shelter Scotland’s mission to change that. While our January event is a big day in the calendar, we’re here all year round. So, if you have any unwanted Christmas gifts or you’re just having a January clear out then feel free to donate to us.”

The designer sale runs until Tuesday 9 January.