Purse-friendly gifts for all

DUNDEE charity organisations are clubbing together to hold a pursefriendly Christmas sale over the next two weekends.

Numerous groups working out of Lochee Community Warehouse, based in the old Levi’s factory, will be selling second-hand children’s toys and Christmas decorations to help out those struggling to make ends meet this festive season.

The groups have been working throughout the coronavirus pandemic to make sure no one is left without, and are now hoping to attract lots of people to the sales.

Alison Walker from Lochee Community Group said: “We know what it is like to be short of money and with everything going on this year the best thing we could do is create a community warehouse.

“There will be Christmas presents for people to buy. We want to show you don’t need to buy new for Christmas because we have lots of decorations, trees, good toys and recycled Christmas jumpers.

“From an ethical point of view it means people are not going to buy new items which could end up in landfill – all that plastic tinsel will end up in the eco system somewhere.

“We have also had donations coming in all year and some of the stuff has been from homes where people have passed away which means we have a lot of retro furniture.

“We have set up a few room sets with displays of old-school Christmases and people can come and share their memories of Christmas past as well as buying second hand things.

“There will be a lot of families where they have lost an income or maybe they have lost their company car or are living in a house with a mortgage and hard times are ahead.

“This Christmas won’t have a positive feel to it for them because they will have to live with the hardships that are coming.”

Alison also explained that donations throughout the year are recycled and reused by people who are in need, for no cost.

“We do things like school uniforms, clothes, duvets and bedding, and starter packs for people when they are short of things,” she said.

“We also have a growing space for people to grow fruit and vegetables and make soup.

“Families who have joined allotment groups can request gardening tools or get their tools sharpened, and we do low-cost home improvement projects.

“If you have not got it, we can get it for you, and it is helping towards Dundee’s recycling targets.

“There is so much that goes on to help people who are in need and it is done quietly and discreetly.”

To help with social distancing, free tickets are available online and the sale will be open from December 4-6 and December 11-13 from 11am until 4pm.

Alison Walker of Lochee Community Group.

Some of the pre-loved festive items that are on offer.