How volunteer Anna and her WI group are reviving worn vintage treasures
This Earth Day, we’re celebrating the power of second chances! Anna Gorton, a dedicated retail volunteer at Rowcroft Hospice’s Babbacombe shop, is showing how simple acts of mending can make a big difference. From re-sewing hems to darning holes, Anna’s work with her Women’s Institute group helps breathe new life into donated clothes. By repairing vintage gems to their former glory, she’s not only keeping them out of landfill but she’s raising vital funds for the hospice. In this blog, she shares her journey of combining sustainability with a good cause, demonstrating that we all have the power to make a positive impact.
Giving vintage a second life
“I recently started helping the vintage team with simple mending tasks,” says Anna. “This is because, inevitably, when clothing is donated, there can be some ‘wear and tear’. However, many of these older pieces were made to last and can be brought back to life and cherished again. I have re-sewn hems, darned moth-holes, and tidied up vintage coats – even an Armani evening dress that needed darning to bring it back to life. Currently, I am mending a leather jacket that, frankly, I would have thrown away, but it’s such a collector’s item that, in good condition, it could fetch £1000 – who knew!?”
Fast fashion’s hidden cost
“Apparently, we buy more new clothes than any other country in Europe. We are bombarded with cheap imports of ‘wear once’ clothing from all over the world. Aside from the very real environmental damage caused by producing and transporting so-called ‘fast fashion’, what happens when all these clothes are thrown away? There are tons of unwanted rags, most of which will end up in landfill.
“But what can we do, and what does all of this have to do with Rowcroft? Well, in our modern multicultural world, there are wealthy collectors from all corners of the world who are eager to acquire unique items of clothing and willing to pay good money for them. Here’s an example: my mother-in-law made all her own clothes, as was common at the time – after her death, a Liberty silk dress of hers sold for an astonishing £70 to a Japanese buyer, and it was complete happenstance that I had donated it to Rowcroft.”
Reviving clothes, supporting Rowcroft
“Many of us are of the generation where we were taught to sew and mend. We can use these skills to raise funds for our lovely hospice and quietly address the ‘throw-away’ culture. If you feel you can help, please get in touch – it is such a simple way to make a difference. Even sewing on a missing button can help an item sell for a good price. I wonder how many other items in our charity shops just need a stitch or two. And as volunteers, we can do this in a way that fits flexibly with our busy lives. I bring home a bag and work on it in my own time, with no pressure.”
Following repair-work by volunteer Anna, this vintage dress sold for £95. Anna sewed on new buttons to make the dress saleable.
Ready to volunteer?
If you’re interested in joining our team of volunteers and reviving donated items, we would love to hear from you. You can find out more about volunteering at Rowcroft and explore current opportunities by visiting rowcrofthospice.org.uk/volunteers or calling 01803 210852. Whether you’re an experienced seamstress or happy to lend a hand with simple mending, every small effort can contribute to a big difference.
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