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I'm the original second-hand Rose, says Julia
JULIA Anderson says that she doesn't mind being referred to as second-hand Rose - in fact she's proud of it.
No one has been watching the latest BBC television series, Mary Queen Of Charity Shops more closely than Julia, a charity shop volunteer for several years.
In the ser-ies, no-nonsense presenter and retail guru Mary Portas embarked on what she described as her toughest challenge yet – turning round the fortunes of Britain's cha-rity shops.
Her mission was to rebrand them, transforming them into must-stop shops on the high street.
And as well as focusing on how the outlets themselves operated, Mary, a former creative director of Harvey Nichols, also tackled the public's perception of charity shops, trying to tempt more through the doors and – more importantly – appealing for a better standard of donations.
"I intend to radically change consumer shopping habits and prove a trip to a local charity outlet can be a fun and rewarding experience," she proclaimed as the series got under way.
But convert Julia needs no convincing. Like many other charity shop devotees, she decided long ago that charity shops could be the source of bargains and some prize finds.
She – and her beautiful Calderale home – are testimony to this.
"I don't mind at all being called second-hand Rose. Practically everything in our house is second-hand, bought mainly from charity shops or the odd antiques centre," she says.
"We wear second-hand clothes," she adds, referring to husband, John. "Because I just can't see the point in buying new when there are so many good ones in charity shops so reasonably priced.
"Even the animals are second-hand," she says, referring to the couple's lovely dogs, Tilly and Gina, who have been rescued.
Julia, now 63 and a former modern languages teacher, promised herself that she would become involved with volunteering when she retired.
She first helped out with the PDSA in Brighouse and is now a regular behind the counter of the Halifax RSPCA shop.
"One thing I do want to point out is that staff definitely do not get the first pick of what comes in, as many think," she says.
But she and John are now regular charity shop shoppers and as a result their home is full of fantastic finds, from the practical to the purely decorative.
There are soft furnishings, lovely old pictures, cabinets of crockery, books, lamps, vases, tins, photo frames, CDs and DVDs.
Collections of China decorate the walls, sitting on plate racks, while dozens of jugs, in all shapes, sizes and colours, hang from the house's old beams. A recent acquisition is an adorable Teddy bear.
"A lot of people would class it as old junk or clutter but I love finding things. The nice thing is I know where every piece came from," she says before diving into one cupboard and bringing out another cherished find. It is a coffee set with each piece bearing the images of the French emperor, Napoleon and his beloved Josephine.
"I do love Napoleon so I couldn't believe my luck when I found this," she says, adding that you never quite know what you may come across. And as if to prove it, I am directed to a quiet corner of the garden.
"This is the latest find," says John, pointing to a life-size model of a heron which now proudly overlooks the pond.
"Charity shops are chock full of great things," says Julia.
"Remember how that ad (by Ikea) a few years back encouraged people to chuck out their chintz? I was shocked by it and really couldn't believe how people would actually throw out perfectly good stuff. In a way the charity shops benefited and people have been doing it ever since.
"They buy new stuff and feel justified about doing so if they can take their old to a charity shop to assuage their guilt."
Charity shop customers come in all shapes, sizes and ages says Julia – with some regulars popping in several times a day.
"You get people who might just come in the odd time and then those who are really on the look out for something in particular. Real regulars who are in and out all the time.
"And don't forget there are many people who just can't afford to buy new. Charity shops are great because they have fabulous stuff at a fraction of the cost.
"Recently, for example, we had a basket full of beautiful baby clothes, all in lovely condition and costing next to nothing. Perfect for those first few months when babies grow out of things so quickly."
John, a former area manager for Oxfam, says it's a shame some people feel there is a stigma to charity shop buying.
"Some people would never dream of stepping over the threshold but they are missing out. Even if they wouldn't wear second-hand clothes, just think of the other great buys.
"Where else could you pick up a paperback book (sometimes the latest title) in mint condition for just 99p for example? Why would you even waste money buying a new copy?" It is a coffee set with each piece bearing the images of the French emperor, Napoleon and his beloved Josephine.
“I do love Napoleon so I couldn’t believe my luck when I found this,” she says, adding that you never quite know what you may come across. And as if to prove it, I am directed to a quiet corner of the garden.
“This is the latest find,” says John, pointing to a life-size model of a heron which now proudly overlooks the pond.
“Charity shops are chock full of great things,” says Julia.
“Remember how that ad (by Ikea) a few years back encouraged people to chuck out their chintz? I was shocked by it and really couldn’t believe how people would actually throw out perfectly good stuff. In a way the charity shops benefited and people have been doing it ever since.
“They buy new stuff and feel justified about doing so if they can take their old to a charity shop to assuage their guilt.”
Charity shop customers come in all shapes, sizes and ages says Julia – with some regulars popping in several times a day.
“You get people who might just come in the odd time and then those who are really on the look out for something in particular. Real regulars who are in and out all the time.
“And don’t forget there are many people who just can’t afford to buy new. Charity shops are great because they have fabulous stuff at a fraction of the cost.
“Recently, for example, we had a basket full of beautiful baby clothes, all in lovely condition and costing next to nothing. Perfect for those first few months when babies grow out of things so quickly.”
John, a former area manager for Oxfam, says it’s a shame some people feel there is a stigma to charity shop buying.
“Some people would never dream of stepping over the threshold but they are missing out. Even if they wouldn’t wear second-hand clothes, just think of the other great buys.
“Where else could you pick up a paperback book (sometimes the latest title) in mint condition for just 99p for example? Why would you even waste money buying a new copy?”
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