Pub customers and local people have helped to raise £8,300 for our charity through generous donations to a clothes bank in the pub car park!
The bank was installed in the car park at The Elizabethan at Heaton Moor, Stockport, in November 2024. It took less than a year to raise the substantial sum, which we’ll use to fund specialist research into blood cancers.
Pub general manager Nikki Collins said clothes were donated by customers and staff, along with local people and passers-by, who saw the bank as offering a useful service. “I’ve made use of it myself,” she said.
The pub has now been presented with a trophy and a certificate to mark its efforts. Nikki said she and her staff were proud to have supported the charity. “It’s a great cause and the clothes bank doesn’t get in the way at all. The charity comes and empties it regularly so there is no build up of bags,” she added.
The bank was originally installed by the previous general manager at The Elizabethan, Pete Davison. He has now moved onto run another pub in the JW Lees chain, the Boat and Horses in Oldham – where he has also put one of our clothes bank in the car park.
And his wife, Shaunie Davison, who runs the JW Lees owned Sheldon pub at Aston-under-Lyme has a clothes bank there too, helping to collect more unwanted clothing and raise more money for blood cancer research.
Pete said: “It is such a worthwhile thing to do. Everyone benefits. I think there are not enough places to get rid of your unwanted clothes. If you know there is a clothes bank there and you are going for a pint or a meal then you can drop them off at the same time. It’s an easy win for everyone.”
He said he would encourage others to do their bit. “As a business you have to look at the community you serve and try to do some good,” he said.
Karina Zaiceva, our Project Manager, said: “We are so grateful to all the businesses and organisations that host our clothing banks – and we think having them in pub or restaurant car parks is such a good idea. Congratulations to the Elizabethan in Heaton Moor for their amazing efforts.”
Many of the clothing donations are top quality pre-loved fashion items, which are sold through our online shops!
We’re now calling for more pubs and restaurants to host a clothing bank – get in touch to find out more.
