More than £65,000 has been raised by bargain hunters browsing the Edinburgh New Town Church Book Sale.
The Edinburgh New Town Church Book Sale, held in support of international development agency Christian Aid, has been taking place annually for more than 50 years and has raised more than £3m for the charity’s flagship appeal Christian Aid Week.
Thousands of people can be found each year browsing boxes of hardbacks, paperbacks, classics, cookbooks, biographies and more. There are also toys, puzzles, CDs, DVDs, ephemera.
Among the donations this year have included a ballet pointe shoe signed by Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Dame Alicia Markova; a 400-year-old book of speeches Charles I gave in Parliament; and some Ian Rankin books signed by the author with cryptic puzzles.
Dame Markova is considered by many to have helped shape the future of classical ballet in the UK and was the co-founder of the London Festival Ballet in 1950 – which become English National Ballet.
The book sale organisers are in touch with the English National Ballet School and Capezio (the company which made the shoe) about how it might be used for a future fundraising event.
Julia Forsyth, one of the book sale organisers, said this year’s had been “absolutely fantastic”.
She said: “The church was buzzing from the moment the doors opened, with people leaving carrying armfuls of books and with huge smiles on their faces.
“We raised around £67,000 which is an extraordinary result and reflects the incredible generosity of everyone involved, our donors, customers and especially our volunteers, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make the sale happen.
“This event is powered entirely by community spirit, kindness, and generosity.”
Head of Christian Aid Scotland Val Brown said: “We are enormously grateful for the dedication of the church, the volunteers and all who support and make the Edinburgh book sale possible.
“For more than 80 years Christian Aid has worked to call for justice and give support to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world – people of all faiths and none – to lift themselves out of poverty.
“The Edinburgh book sale has supported so many people across the world for over half a century, which is an amazing act of keeping hope alive.”
