We are 2nd Hand Sundays. We are for the people, place and planet. What started as an idea from a mother-daughter duo has blossomed into raising thousands for community causes, saving tonnes of items from going to landfill and creating a safe, positive space for people to buy affordable clothing while doing good for their community and the environment.
Since our first micro-pop-up event where we raised nearly £1,000 for the Millbrook Skate Park Project’s Crowdfunder, we have gone on to support other worthy causes, all from circulating clothes.
We have raised money for the following causes:
- Millbrook Skate Park Project
- Millbrook Care Hub
- Acorn Rental
- Old Ship - The Peninsula Trust
- Kingfishers pre-school
- Community Fund
- Music Youth Lab
We are based in South East Cornwall, serving a small tight-knit community, including people from all walks of life but are all bound together by one overarching aim; to save their forgotten corner of Cornwall from being impacted any more by the effects of climate change.
The area is seeing community-focused local initiatives pop up everywhere, including a community kitchen using unsold food from the local supermarkets. There are also dry-goods scoop shops, lift-sharing schemes, major beach cleans, and local climate activism groups.
It's clear this community cares, it's all there to see.
We have successfully converted previously fast-fashion addicts to buying from us instead. We see confessed fashionistas who would previously drive an hour to Plymouth to browse their high-street fast fashion shops put a hold on their trip because they know we have fabulous garments that suit their tastes.
It's ok to enjoy buying something new that makes you feel fabulous, but often that comes with environmental guilt.
We have fixed that. We offer a guilt-free retail therapy.
We serve ALL, in a sustainable way, while also giving those who donate items the chance to make some money back for themselves.
Without our volunteers, we would not have seen the success we have and we are eternally grateful to them. They have been at the heart of our pop-up events, from our five directors to a group of 20+ volunteers, our sale days are anticipated like the day before Christmas. They are exciting, and sociable and fill hearts with pride.
Previous and current volunteers are quick to tell us how much they love being a part of 2nd Hand Sundays. Real friendships have been made, experiences and skills shared and connections created. These volunteers were all brought together by one shared aim:
- Provide local people with a fun, positive shopping experience
- Help people feel good about themselves through the medium of clothes
- Provide bargains every week
- Stop people buying new and reducing the number of items going to landfill
Now we need your help...
One thing we have heard consistently since our first micro sale more than two years ago, is...
"I wish you had a shop"
"Do you do more sales?"
"When are you next selling?"
"Please do this weekly"
But it wasn't possible... UNTIL NOW!!!!
We have been given a chance to have a shop, a permanent home, a place to regularly serve our community, a place to keep our stock and a warm space to do our admin. This is everything we have dreamt about for more than two years.
The smiles above say it all.
We (your directors) have given hundreds of hours sorting, hauling, cleaning, labelling, selling, styling, organising, communicating, promoting, learning and serving our community.
So this opportunity to have The Shop is huge. It means we have a home where we can welcome our community every single Sunday.
We will also be able to diversify the services we offer by:
- opening for 'quiet' times for those who might find typical shopping experiences overwhelming
- working with our local community college to invite textile students to use our pre-loved clothes for their GCSE or A-level projects
- offering mentoring opportunities for volunteers who want to gain skills in certain areas that our directors can depart their diverse range of experience and wisdom to
- offer employment opportunities to disadvantaged adults who have previously struggled in employment or need a boost of confidence.
Why £5,000?
This money would allow us to open every week, help pay for the set-up costs we owe, and contribute towards overheads. We can be assured that our insurance is paid for, we can update our stock room, invest in a card machine and high-quality cleaning methods for our clothes.
Every penny we Crowdfund, is a penny extra going to our local causes because we won't have to worry about our overheads first.
Every quarter we will ask our customers to vote for their 'local cause' that all profits will go directly to every three months.
For our opening event in August we will be launching our Crowdfunder and for once only, all profit made on donated items will be going back into the store we have acquired and paying off our debt that was crucial to getting to this point.
We ask generously for your support, so we can continue to serve our community for years to come.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for getting us here. This would never have been possible without the continued support of our 2nd Hand Sundays shoppers.