Story Donated By Abby Dix

I’ve been collecting these chintzy pictures of flowers for a while now. They’re kind of creepy – a bit like the porcelain dolls that my Nana collects – but they have (scuse the pun) grown on me. The two large roses I bought in the YMCA charity shop when we were doing a Hearts Content event, much to the annoyance of my friend Nomie who wished that she’d spotted them first.

The roses are a nod to the lady who used to own our house. She lived here for nearly forty years before she died and in lots of ways it still feels like her house. I’d like to think that she’d be happy with how we’re looking after it and I know she loved roses because she planted loads in the garden, so I think she’ll approve of these pictures.

I’d not really mentioned the increasing collection of chintz on the wall to my partner but I did think I was pushing it a bit with the bigger pictures. About a week after I put them up he said ‘Are those pictures new?’ but I told him they’d been there for ages.
Abby Dix

Story Donated By Gene And His Mum

We found a copy of Busy Busy World, a book by Richard Scarry. My Mummy liked this book when she was a little girl and she had been searching for the book for me to read as well. We looked everywhere and then we found what we were looking for right on our doorstep in Bramley!
Gene and his Mum

Story Donated By Jean

Jean bought a Ewbank Carpet Sweeper from the PDSA (Peoples Dispensary For Sick Animals) in Bramley. She prefers it to the hoover because its not so heavy. She does her excercises at the same time as cleaning the floor – but not the splits! She’s bought two in the past year and given one to her daughter and kept the other. She thinks her sweeper is a cracker!

Jean

Story Donated By Maisy Orr

I bought this painting from a Charity Shop in Pudsey. I picked it out because I like the dog and it’s a real painting, not a photograph, so you can tell someone has spent a long time painting it. They must be very good at painting. The dog looks a bit like my Mom-Mom’s dog in Delaware. She’s called Betty. The dog, not my Mom-Mom.
Maisy Orr

Story Donated By Al Dix

I have been playing backgammon for 30 years and in that time reckon I’ve won as much as I’ve lost (more or less). Backgammon is special in that you can be very skillful but you still have to rely upon an element of luck. I’ve had great times playing against some of my very best friends, and sometimes I’ve had the luck as well. The quality of the backgammon board is important to real enthusiasts, and the example here is one of the best. It was bought for me by one of my daughters and her mum about 15 years ago from a charity shop somewhere near Bradford – possibly Bingley or Keighley and it’s one of my favourite possessions. I’ve now taught my grandson to play, and look forward to playing him for money when he starts earning a decent living. Trouble is, he seems to keep winning…..
Al Dix

Story Donated by Andiee
@ Age Concern, Pudsey, Leeds

I bought a pair of black Converse high tops at a charity shop recently – it was magical timing as I had been reminiscing about my college days – the last time I had a pair! I used to wear them with miniskirts NOWADAYS the mini skirts are gone but the Converse still make me remember a particular Ramones concert in Philadelphia!

Andiee

Story Donated By Michelle Sykes
@ YMCA, Armley, Leeds

I bought a necklace for 10p in the YMCA in Armley. I took it for the jewellers for a new clasp – he told me the clasp would be about £30 becasue the necklace was 18 carat and he said it was worth between £3000 and £5000. I was shocked.

It was the best 10p I’ve ever spent. Now my Mam has the necklace as she said it looks better on her than me.

Michelle Sykes

Story Donated By Sandy
@ YMCA, Armley, Leeds

My favourite thing I bought from the YMCA was a lemon clock powered by the juice of lemons.
One lemon lasts a week.

I’m going to try an apple next week.
Sandy

Story Donated By Sarah Howells

Not a combination that immediately springs to mind when considering a snack, this Cheese Sardine Set is very prescriptive for a somewhat challenging taste sensation (in my book at least).

It is a celebration of stainless steel and teak, and, judging by the picture on the box they should have called it Sardines in Tomato Sauce and Edam Set – but if you felt rebellious I am sure you could serve something else on it. I’m sad enough to look at the box and really wish I also had that formica topped table that the set has been photographed on.

This was another 20p (!) purchase made eagerly by me, whilst the lady behind the counter of The Community Shop, Armley, tried gamely to hide her incredulity at my enthusiasm.
Sarah Howells

Story Donated By:
HRH Self Appointed Lady Mayoress Of Armley

Recently on a trip to Poverty Aid, I happened upon the rather wonderful box of delights (pictured here). For a mere £1.00 I had bought trip aboard the memory train to childhood.

For me the 70’s were a dirge of orange, taupe, and brown, occaisionally enlivened by my attempts to wreck the kitchen. The constant background chuntering of Radio One DJs (Simon Bates, Jimmy Saville, Fluff Freeman) serenaded me as I cut my culinary teeth making pastry and biscuits and other starch laden goodies. Margueritte Pattens’ box of delights reminds me of the transition we went through in our house, when ‘continental food’ replaced goblin meat pies, and we threw parties with our neighbours where exotic Chinese, Italian and Indian dishes were created in the spirit of adventure not satisfaction.

The taste rarely mattered as these delights were accompanied by demijohns of homemade wine, which doubled as paint stripper. To this day these same themes are ever powerful, cheesy music, toxic drinks, cakes and biscuits, and breaking bread with the neighbours.

I have plans for these cards; think 70’s stylee Safari Suppers! Anyone care to join us?

PS – if you zoom in on the sausage rolls to the bottom the picture credit is the Lard Information Bureau (great name for a band if ever i heard one)

HRH Self Appointed Lady Mayoress Of Armley

Story Donated By Claire Anderson

Right, I’m very protective of my vintage shoe source, and I had to think long and hard about sharing this story…. I have the most amazing collection of footwear, mainly from the charity shops of Garforth and Shipley; in fact I am famous for my shoe collection at work, and probably wear a different pair every day – and the vintage, or second-hand if you like, are always the most coveted.

I love these shoes because they’re always so well looked after, and obviously someone has treasured them for years. I hope I can manage to look after them enough to pass them on to my daughter, cos they’re gorgeous…

If anyone who is a size five thinks about going vintage shoe hunting in Garforth or Shipley, just don’t – find your own patch… x
Claire Anderson

Story Donated By Jane Earnshaw

I found this chap whilst hurtling round charity shops in a big white van to buy furniture for one of the I Love West Leeds Festival events. We visited lots of charity shops across the city and I was supposed to be looking for bookshelves and sofas. Instead i ended up parting with a hard earned pound for a tapestry framed cat from Meanwood Charity Shop. I love him not only because he has been lovingly handmade but because he isn’t a pretty pin up kind of cat, but an overweight, probably bad tempered, ginger tabby. And his eyes almost fit with the background wallpaper which makes me think if you look too hard at him he could probably hypnotize you.
Jane Earnshaw.

Story Donated By Sarah Howells

As well as a passion for Puffin books I also adore Ladybird books, just opening one like What to Look for In Spring or Helping at Home whisks me back to childhood, not that I spent much time looking for things in spring and still struggle to identify trees and flowers, and avoided helping at home as much as possible. This Ladybird Book collection is my pride and joy, I even have a couple in Welsh, and my favourite of all is Ned the Lonely Donkey, who works hard at the seaside giving rides to children and in the end gets to live in a sanctuary with other friendly donkeys. Lucky Ned. I once even checked out on the internet how to date them. It’s easy when you know how. The most pristine are always Sunday School prizes e.g. the religious ones like Three Stories Jesus Told, received and never opened again.
Sarah Howells

Story Donated By Maisie

My brother’s best friend’s mother’s mother got this from her charity shop in Melbourne. It’s just right for my pink and purple bedroom and I’m so glad that it came to me. My room’s in the attic and I like to retreat there to have a bit of quiet time or to play with Joe or my friends.

I had my best friend Mabel over at the weekend and we played in my room for ages. It was a bit of a mess so I told my Mum that a big wind had blown in and blown everything everywhere.
Maisie

Story Donated By Lee Goater

Age Concern
Shipley
August 07

My good lady bagged us these beauties. They were like new. I used to wear trainers like these at school but in a slightly more RUN DMC style, this time I opted for the Michael’s J Fox look. I think that was on trend for this season anyway. They are serving me well and defo improve my moon walk. And I didn’t even get a veruca.
Lee Goater