Allerton woman is hosting fashion sales to support South Liverpool foodbank

An Allerton woman has set up a fashion donation site, arranging at-home sales of new and nearly new clothes to support South Liverpool Foodbank.

Cate Byrne has been a long-time fundraiser for the foodbank, organising regular charity events and children’s Christmas hamper appeals.

Now, as the cost of living crisis puts the service under increasing strain, she’s created Poppy’s Clothes Line to turn unwanted clothes into cash for much-needed essentials.

“Lots of people have really nice clothes just hanging in their wardrobes that don’t want themselves anymore so rather than dropping them at a charity shop they can donate them this way and know someone else is getting the benefit,” explains Cate.

“Equally, not everyone has the time to go hunting through charity shops, or they wouldn’t necessarily do it, so I thought by organising sales at home, fashion coffee mornings, they could get a really great bargain and at the same time be supporting the foodbank so it’s a win win.”

Holistic therapist Cate, who lives near Calderstones Park, first came up with the idea when Covid restricted what could be done to raise money for the foodbank.

“I first got involved in fundraising for South Liverpool Foodbank over 10 years ago when I noticed a Facebook post about it. I live in the area so I went down to the one at the Bridge Chapel Centre off Mather Avenue and asked if they needed any help.

“They said they had enough volunteers but they needed some publicity so I did a couple of coffee mornings and encouraged people to drop off food and just publicized what the food bank was doing.

“I started doing charity events at local restaurants twice a year, including a ball at the Stables, and it got bigger and bigger.

“I was looking for other ways of fundraising, so I started Daisy Chain Chic online. I’d post nearly new clothes that had been dropped off at my house and people could message me and arrange to pick them up and try them on at home, then give a donation for them.

“With Covid, the restaurant fundraising had to come to a stop and I had to change the way I did the Christmas toy hamper appeal to a raffle to buy vouchers for families instead, but I wanted to keep the clothes aspect going.

“My aunt, who was Frances Poppy Norman, passed away very tragically at Christmas 2020 from Covid. She had a secondhand clothes shop in Garston called Poppy’s Clothes Line when we were young and I remember as a child going and browsing through all these fake fur coats and other clothes and enjoying dressing up with my sister.

“When she passed away I decided to rename the fashion sales as a tribute to her because clothes were something she was so into, she loved fashion and going to charity shops and picking up a bargain.

“I wanted her legacy to live on in some way and this seemed like the obvious idea, to change the name, and now I feel as though she’s with me and cheering me on because she was always very supportive of the charity work I do.”

Cate says people regularly drop off new and nearly new clothes at the Lemon Tree spa which she runs from her home, and she’s also had donations of past season stock from shops.

“I have clients dropping clothes and food here as well when they come for treatments, my mum helps out and if shops have a large amount to donate then I’m always happy to go and collect things too.”

Once she’s filled her rails, Cate then either hosts fashion coffee mornings at her home, or groups of friends can arrange one for themselves. The first one will be at Cate’s on Friday April 22.

“If people give me enough warning, I’ll bring a little mobile wardrobe to them and they just provide the tea and coffee to anyone going along,” she adds.

Cate’s only recently rebranded Poppy’s Clothes Line, but she’s already had some fabulous donations including one very special one.

“A lady who comes to me for treatments gave me a wedding dress to sell which was such a kind thing to do. I hope it goes to a lovely new home and brings whoever buys it good luck as well as raising lots of money for the foodbank.”