Introduction to 2nd Hand Sundays | Diaries of a crowdfunder
Episode one: Intro to our crowdfunding project
Hello! I’m Siri, and I run the social media channels at Crowdfunder. Beyond that, I co-run a Community Interest Company in Cornwall called 2nd Hand Sundays. And guess what? We’re crowdfunding!
What is 2nd Hand Sundays?
2nd Hand Sundays is a not-for-profit initiative where we collect second-hand clothes from the community and resell them at affordable prices. The best part? Every penny of profit goes directly to local causes and charities. Since our first event in Spring 2022, we’ve raised nearly £5,000 for various causes across South East Cornwall including Millbrook skatepark. Now, it’s time to raise funds for ourselves to take the next step forward!
After briefly mentioning this to Simon, the co-CEO at Crowdfunder, he kindly asked if I would be up for documenting my journey for them.
Documenting our progress
At first I was I ambivalent, I have never fundraised before, I was new to Crowdfunder and honestly I was unsure If I would even raise £200, let alone £5,000. My thought process went something like this “wow, if I am publicly documenting my journey and don’t raise the money, everyone will see I’ve failed”.
Simon was quick to reassure me that everyone fears they won’t raise what they need but coaching them through the steps in a realistic, real-time way could be a real asset to project owners.
I agreed, swallowed my fear and put on my big-girl pants.
So here I am, about to take you along on the journey of trying to raise £5,000 for 2nd Hand Sundays. A project close to my heart but a real team effort to get it here, and similarly, it will be a team effort to raise the funds we need.
Our Big Goal: Raising £5,000 for a Permanent Sustainable Shop
I’m on a mission to raise £5,000 to help transform our not-for-profit pop-up events into a permanent fixture. Our vision is to create a sustainable shopping space in Cornwall, and I want to take you along on this exciting crowdfunding journey as we work towards making this idea a reality.
Introducing our crowdfunding team
Meet Alice, Karen, Natalie and Kathleen (and me!) 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.
Siri Thomas (Me) – Director and Marketing and Comms Lead
Alice Trethewey (My mum) – Director and Operations Lead
Karen Holland – Director and People Lead
Natalie Frey – Director and Development Lead
Kathleen Rixon – Director and Logistics Lead
Why are we crowdfunding?
We’ve been asked countless times to host more events or even establish a permanent location—and now we’re doing just that. We’re opening a shop in a small Cornish town to provide a sustainable and affordable shopping option for the local community.
But here’s the challenge: we’re a fully volunteer-run operation with no financial backing. Even basic costs like rent and paint for the walls are tough to cover. We’ve already invested our own money to build changing rooms and have put in endless hours of hard work, but it’s not enough.
Currently, we’re in debt to our directors and generous family members who have helped make it possible for us to open on August 25th. Our goal is to not only repay them as quickly as possible but also to raise funds to continue supporting local causes.
Follow Along on Our Crowdfunding Journey
We’re turning to crowdfunding to cover the set-up costs of the shop. With our crowd of supporters, we hope to cover ongoing expenses like rent, insurance, and bills, as well as invest in equipment to enhance the shopping experience for our customers.
Follow our journey as we experience the highs and lows of crowdfunding. I’ll be posting video and blog updates, as well as posting regularly on Crowdfunder’s social media channels!