Get your fashion fix this October in aid of Marie Curie with the Great BT Charity Shops Challenge

Stylist and co-founder of Sugahfix.com, Katrina Doran helped launch the first all Ireland, Great BT Shops Challenge this week at Marie Curie’s shop in Belmont Road, Belfast; one of seven shops throughout Northern Ireland which are taking part in this year’s Challenge.

“I’d encourage everyone to get down to their local Marie Curie Cancer Care shop and support this challenge. It’s amazing the hidden vintage clothing you can find that will really set your outfit apart and help you to make a fashion statement this upcoming season. Plus, it’s all for a great cause.”

The Challenge, which will take place on Thursday 3rd October, will see over 170 BT staff volunteer in seven Marie Curie shops across Northern Ireland and 10 Irish Cancer Society shops in the Republic of Ireland. BT staff will takeover for the day to help raise much needed funds for the charities - while competing against each other to see which shop has the biggest increase in takings.

The BT volunteers have been tasked with putting their retail, planning, marketing and selling skills to good use to generate extra stock for their designated shop ahead of the takeover day. They will be encouraging friends, family and colleagues to donate their unwanted bric-a-brac as well as their most fashionable clothing cast offs that can be sold to customers.

Commenting on the challenge, Ciara Gallagher, Head of Fundraising Marie Curie Cancer Care Northern Ireland said:

“We are delighted to be working with BT in their charity shops’ challenge this year. It’s a great way to raise awareness about the value for money, fashionable stock we have available in our stores for the autumn and winter season – particularly in the current economic climate. Our shops makes accessible fashion available for everyone, while raising much needed funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

“We need more people to shop, donate and volunteer and this initiative by BT will certainly help on all these fronts - by helping us raise awareness of what our shops actually offer. By generating much needed stock and equally importantly encouraging people to donate their time.

“Money raised during the challenge will help to make it possible for Marie Curie Nurses to provide more care to terminally ill patients, and vital emotional support to their families at the time when they need it most. We hope that everyone visits their local shop on takeover day and bags themselves a bargain”.

Peter Morris, Corporate Services Director, BT said; “BT is committed to making a positive impact in the communities in which we operate and we have a long and proud record of fundraising, volunteering and support. Last year alone BT Ireland volunteers gave back almost 13,000 hours of their time, worth £500,000, to causes that help to improve lives. As part of our recently launched Better Future programme our volunteering teams have been involved with some brilliant community challenges and we are excited to work with the Irish Cancer Society and Marie Curie Cancer Care to show our support, in a very practical way, for two very important charities.”
Remember our charity shops ~ Volunteer ~ Shop ~ Donate.  Visit us at http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/en-GB/fundraising-volunteering/Marie-Curie-Shops/