There are many reasons to choose to buy from a charity – now often regarded as vintage- shop. Price is one thing as there are bargains to be had but also a move away from ‘fast fashion’ towards a more sustainable approach. And finally, the opportunity to support the work of the charity sector.

This week two NCTJ Journalism students spent an hour browsing the rails of the Foyle Hospice Shop in Waterloo Place looking for some pieces suitable for the Christmas season. Here is what they found:

Jade Mc Clafferty (21)

Fashion and style can be a difficult area when you have been born into Gen Z. We encourage the maintenance of a trendy up to date wardrobe, notorious for single wear ‘fits’ and a culture allergic to outfit repeating.

On a student’s budget this is even harder to keep up with and often I find myself spending my money on cheap websites. Fast fashion is simply no longer cool. Times are changing and with a mind to becoming a more sustainable shopper I want to find an affordable alternative.

Buying preloved pieces seems to be the right move for a number of reasons, bang for your buck, putting money into local charities as opposed to big businesses.

Loved and Cherished is a Foyle Hospice Charity shop located in Waterloo Place, the perfect place to dip my toe in the waters of bargain buying.

There was such warmth in the shop with volunteers, Thersea Brown and Lizzie Toland, working the tills and lifting the spirits. The ladies known to locals as The Wednesday Club offer great entertainment and company while shopping something bigger retailers lack.

The sheer variety is what amazed me the most. Shelves brimming with books, fashion and furniture. There was something for bookworms, upcyclers and trendy shoppers to name a few. The quality was astonishing with a lot of the clothes brand new and tags attached. Of course the biggest appeal for charity shops is the price, you can pick up quality products for a fraction of their retail price with most items of clothing under £10.

I took to searching the rails in hope of happening across hidden gems quickly realising they weren’t so hidden. The more I looked the more I liked and suddenly my arm was getting weighed down by hangers.

My steal of the week was a black and jewelled Topshop dress which cost me only £6. It would have been criminal to pass it up. It is now one of my wardrobe staples and I’m sure to get a compliment when I wear it out.

It won’t be my final trip to Loved and Cherished if only for a catch up with the Wednesday Club and a browse through the rails.

Rosemary Mallon:

Charity shops? We either love them, loathe them or are indifferent, wouldn’t you agree? I was in the latter camp until a recent visit to the Foyle Hospice Shop in Derry/Londonderry city centre, opposite the Tourist Information Office near the Guildhall. Let me tell you why I’m now a convert.

The first thing that caught my eye as I walked up to the shop was the quite unexpected window display. Alongside clothing, fashion jewellery and the usual household ornaments (assorted porcelain china vases), I hadn’t anticipated being able to purchase items of furniture like the double white wardrobe and mirrored vanity unit with matching deeply padded and very comfy-looking seat arranged before me. How inviting. In fact, as I walked past the open window display on my way in, I had to resist the urge to climb in and make myself comfortable!

The pristine condition of these carefully presented items was matched by the cleanliness and care clearly taken with the huge variety of highly affordable goods inside this wee gem of a shop. Manager Jackie told me with enthusiasm that all items donated to Foyle Hospice are first washed and processed at their very own hub outside the city.

The second pleasant surprise, to my browsing delight, was that the musty odour I associated with previous visits to charity shops decades ago did not haunt my nostrils. Not a trace. I lingered long, selecting various items of ladies’ fashion to try on in the changing room, as you would in any high street shop. I eventually purchased a very trendy pleated skirt with a Next tailored label for the meagre sum of £3. I’m pleased to say it looks fabulous paired with either of the brand new sheer tights Elbeo and M&S I bought at £1 a piece, still in their original packets.

Trust me, this shop is well worth a visit. Menswear, childrens’ clothing, toys (brand new or nearly-new), trinkets and bric-a-brac, household furnishings including curtains and cushions… there is little you will not find among the cornucopia of assorted wares curated by manager Jackie and her dedicated team. From hair accessories at a pound a piece to a brand new junior guitar at £40, there truly is something for everyone here.

If shopping is a social activity for you, like me you will enjoy the good-natured, helpful banter between the Wednesday Girls and customers, some of whom come in especially on Wednesdays. I was inspired by the heartfelt joy of manager Jackie as she described her role and the new en-suite bedrooms which have been recently funded by proceeds from customers like me at Foyle Hospice shops in the city and Strabane.

I will no longer saunter by charity shops and the Foyle Hospice Shop in particular. Hidden treasure lies within! So grab yourself a bargain in the knowledge that you are also helping fund the much-needed facilities and care, maybe even for your loved ones, at Foyle Hospice.