Story Donated By Jenny Hall

I collect antique textiles. I love table cloths, doylies, cushions and clothes but the one thing I have never found in a charity shop or flea market is a handmade quilt. One day I was browsing through the 20p basket in my Samaritans charity shop when I overheard the volunteers discussing an antique quilt that had been donated and sold that very morning, mere minutes before I had come in! I was heartbroken to discover that my dream charity shop buy had just passed me by.
Jenny Hall

Story Donated By Ella Dee

In 2002 my family and I went to Switzerland on holiday. I visited several charity shops around my hometown of Headingley. In the arthritis charity shop I came accross a bright yellow beauty! It was big and comfy and my 9 year old self felt wrapped up and warm, engulfed in its massiveness.

In Switzerland the fleece travelled with me on our many visits. It kept me warm and survived many a snowball fight. It has now visited Luxembourg, Switzerland, Poland and North Yorkshire regularly and never fails to be a welcome asset to any journey.
Ella Dee

Story Donated By Sophie Gleisner

I bought Peggy The Panda from a fairtrade charity shop in town.

I called her Peggy because the lady in the shop was called Peggy.
Sophie Gleisner

Story Donated By Martha and Hesta

Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a Sweetie Jar on a second hand stall. Martha and Hesta both paid ONE POUND each to guess how many sweeties were in the jar.

The both of them guessed one hundred and seventy four.

And they were both right! This meant that they had to SHARE the sweeties (and the jar) and they have stayed friends ever since!

Awwwwwwwwww!
Love From Martha and Hesta

Story Donated By Wendy Young

In the summer of 2007 whilst on holiday Canada my cousin and I visited an ‘Antique Barn’at Niagra-On-The Lake in Ontario. There was so much to look at but as soon as we went upstairs my eyes latched onto a large 1930’s-40’s quilt entirely made of Suffolk Puffs (in the US they call them Yo-Yos). As if this wasn’t enough excitement there was a 40% off sale on all textiles!

My intention was to take it apart and re-use the vintage puffs in other design work but the more I looked at it the more I grew to love and appreciate the love and history that had been involved in putting it together and as a result I couldn’t bear to dismantle it.

This year I decided to make my own version and, as an artist working primarily in denim, I themed my design around the influence of denim in society from its humble origins to its current designer status. My new quilt is made from over 300 puffs embellished with reclaimed buttons collected from charity shops.
Wendy Young

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 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