Free clothes shop in Whiteley Shopping Centre hailed a success with shoppers grabbing vintage brands

Whiteley Shopping Centre welcomed its first Clothes Swap Shop last month (August 3) and over 800 pre-loved items were donated for a good cause. The one-day pop up shop raised funds for Cash for Kids South Coast, an organisation which looks to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the south of England.

Mia Gordon, centre manager at Whiteley, said: “We can herald our first clothes swap shop pop-up a huge success here at Whiteley. The variation and quality of the preloved items which were donated by shoppers was fantastic to see and it’s great we have been able to give shoppers an opportunity to curate a new wardrobe – for free. A huge thank you must go out to Cash for Kids for partnering with us on the pop-up, and to everyone who came down on the day to support in helping us make a positive impact within our local community.”

Shoppers received a token for each item they donated, which they could then use to swap for new outfits, wardrobe staples and vintage gems. Over a hundred further items were swapped directly on the day by shoppers, with any remaining donations being given to Cash for Kids. The organisation supported over 27,500 children last year. Further items were given to clothing banks or have been recycled.

Sam Tanner, Charity Manager for Cash for Kids South Coast said: “A huge thank you to Whiteley Shopping Centre for organising their first Clothes Swap. It is a wonderful incentive that not only stops clothes ending up in landfill but also raises money for Cash for Kids South Coast - this means that we can use these funds to support children in Hampshire who need a helping hand in life due to disability or poverty.”