Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NI Life & Style Have the ForSight to visit two new NI charity shops
NIAMH McENEANEY with Pre-loved boutiques open up in Tyrone and Fermanagh
Idon’t know if I should be proud or ashamed to say that I haven’t gone shopping in the city centre for about three years. If it wasn’t for the pandemic, I would have gone in countless times no doubt, but I just haven’t felt the need lately.
I began the perilous task of clearing out my wardrobes (yes plural you don’t even want to know how many of them I actually have) recently and, two huge bin bags in, it is obvious that I don’t need to buy anything new for a very long time.
I don’t go out half as much as I used to so I don’t need to own half as much clothes as I used to.
So anything I don’t want anymore will be heading to one of my local charity shops – of which there are many.
I myself have always loved browsing through the rails of clothes which have been donated by others as you never know what you come across.
Luckily, I came across many a designer gem – all of which are staying firmly in my wardrobe. It is the high street pieces which I am getting rid of.
And I’m not alone. It is all part of the fashion revolution which is taking place across the globe.
More and more of us are wising up to fast fashion and how we no longer want to be a part of it but so that we don’t contribute to our own clothing waste ending up on landfill sites, we bring them to charity shops. And that is whey we are seeing so many of them emerging on our high streets, and why many of them look and feel like highend boutiques.
Last month a new such addition emerged as ForSight – a chain of Irish charity shops specifically established to raise funds for initiatives designed to enhance and empower the lives of children and adults who are blind or vision impaired – opened its first unit in Northern Ireland.
The upmarket pre-loved store is on 27-29 Market Street in Omagh, Co Tyrone.
And just a month later, the team cut the ribbon on another one in Enniskillen this week. Beverley Scallan, Head of Retail at ForSight, said: “The stores are stocked with a fabulous range of pre-loved clothing, homewares items and accessories that will make perfect additions to wardrobes and homes and our teams are happy to help you find a hidden gem.
“We’re extremely excited with what is on offer and encourage people to shop, donate and volunteer with us. “Sustainability guides everything that we do and one of the best ways you can support the environment is to shop pre-loved with us.
“Customers will not only be supporting an excellent cause but also helping to save the planet.