Red Cross Blogs

How to make £22,000 in four hours

By Victoria Watts
November 27, 2009 at 7:40 pm

“Did you come for the bags?”, says a lady suspiciously investigating my presence. I am happy to assure her that no, I’m definitely not there for the bags.

“Ah, so you want the Chanel? the Manolos? the Dior?”

“No, no and no.”

My interrogator is at the front of a queue of almost 100 people at the annual Chelsea Red Cross shop designer and vintage sale, and as someone who doesn’t know her Gucci from her Goo Gaa, I’m in the definite minority.

It’s all the fruits of shop manager Cathy Shimmel’s tireless dedication. She works determinately throughout the year, drawing on connections from her couture past, to gather some of the finest designer threads in London – the best of which she saves for the annual sale.

It’s a collection that pulls crowds from across the UK and is a highlight of the Red Cross 100k-a-day fortnight, which is currently in full swing.

When the doors finally open, a cheer is raised and the crowds surge inside. I have flashbacks of Ikea and Primark sales on the news, and although there’s no stampede, there’s a definite determined bustle.

“No pushing,” “One at a time,” “Be careful of the glass,” “Calm,” are the assistants’ mantras. I’m dizzy. The shop is alive with hordes of women jovially jostling for a bargain.

The glass cabinet where two of the most coveted items – a couple of Chanel bags – lay is a hot spot, and within minutes a lucky lady in red snaps up both of them. Eyes sparkling, she enthuses: “All my life I’ve wanted a Chanel bag, and now I have two. I am so so excited.” Her husband may not be quite so delighted – before skipping out the door she confides: “He told me I could spend £300 today, and the bill just came to £2,300!”

The rest of the evening is similar. The till doesn’t stop ringing and woman after woman – with the occasional man in between – passes through the door clutching their prized purchases.

It’s easy to scoff – what consumerism, what frivolity! But I was almost moved to tears. That £2,300 is for the Red Cross, along with every other penny spent. It’s a wonderful display of generosity for every item donated. And as one young customer commented: “It’s great to see fashionistas going mad for something that’ll make a difference.”

Moreover, it’s a tribute to Cathy and her team of volunteers. What they achieve in putting on the sale is nothing short of impressive – the product of long hours and tireless effort.

I asked her why she does it. “Because I’m mad”, she laughed, before quickly adding: “I do it because of the people – for the customers and my wonderful team of volunteers. I love it.”

As someone who is new to the Red Cross, I feel blown away by the event. Cathy has chosen to dedicate her expertise to the Red Cross, and as a result her shop made £22,000 in just four hours last night!

Be inspired by this woman. There are people out there with money to spend and she has found a skillful way to make sure it finds its way to a good cause. Could you do the same?

The Red Cross 100k-a-day is on until December 4. It’s the perfect time to visit your local Red Shop and pick up a bargain, including our ultra-fashionable Christmas cards as recommended by Marie Claire.

Find out what’s happening near you.

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Tags: 100k-a-day, designer sale, Red Cross shops, Volunteering

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 7:40 pm and is filed under Fundraising and events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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