Work experience feature published in Clitheroe Advertiser and Times 10/7/08: ONE MAN'S JUNK IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE

As a student returning to the Ribble Valley from the big city I am reminded, not only of what a beautiful place I come from, but also of the area’s rich historic cultural heritage and how that shapes our leisure activities.

Much of my spare time is spent scouring shops and the internet for vintage clothing and retro household items. Even a recent trip to Berlin was dominated by the quest to buy vintage. Similarly, when I’m home I seize the opportunity to see what local shops have to offer.

I could spend hours in the Charity shops that are scattered along Clitheroe’s main shopping streets. They attract bargain hunters from far and wide who come in search of second hand clothes, bric-a-brac and collectables. A rummage through the rails can prove very rewarding as you never know what you might find or how cheap you might get it.

You could snap up a vintage dress or handbag as donations come in from all generations, and you’d be right on trend because vintage garments are so chic everyone from Kate Moss to Sharon Stone is wearing them. Or maybe you’re inspired by the revival for retro interiors. You might stumble upon a roll of graphic printed wallpaper, psychedelic curtains or an art deco dinner service.

Charity shops are no longer a graveyard for fusty cardigans and battered boots. Oxfam has a rigorous sorting process where they pick out the best quality clothes and the rest is recycled at Wastesaver, a clothes recycling plant in Huddersfield.

“We sort strictly and pick out the best things we can put a higher price on,” says a volunteer at Oxfam, Clitheroe; “people are looking for good value and better quality. “We don’t sell clothes from the cheaper high street shops like Primark because the prices are so low they wouldn’t sell.”

This year, Oxfam’s 60th anniversary, the charity has joined forces with Marks and Spencer for the UK’s biggest clothing recycling campaign, “M&S and Oxfam Clothes Exchange”. Customers making a donation of M&S clothes to Oxfam will receive a £5 voucher to spend on their next £35 M&S purchase. The scheme aims to raise money for Oxfam’s work in tackling poverty and injustice while reducing the one million tonnes of clothing we send to landfill each year.

In these environmentally conscious times, using charity shops is a great way to recycle and save money. During the current “credit crunch” we are all thinking about money saving, but that’s nothing new says Connie Callow, manager of Clitheroe’s Help The Aged: “Charity shops have always been popular in Clitheroe. “People have always watched their pennies, no one wants to throw their money away.”

Oxfam anticipates that second hand shopping will increase in the coming months as people can’t afford to splurge on luxuries. “I would think charity shops will do better during this period,” says a volunteer. Connie from Help The Aged agrees that charity shops are an affordable way to shop: “There’s not much else in Clitheroe if you don’t want to pay designer prices, people have to come here.”

For some people, charity shops are a sign that an area is poor, but this is not the case in Clitheroe. The town’s history and affluence make it a dream for anyone with an interest in antiques. Charity shops and auction rooms see many shoppers through their doors who are looking for specific pieces.

Silverwoods of Clitheroe hold auctions for everything from Georgian antiques, rural and domestic bygones to vintage tractors and motorcycles. Their Wednesday evening sale of modern furniture and bric-a-brac attracts buyers from all over the North.

Wilf Mould, Valuer and Auctioneer at Silverwoods, tells me that popular 20th Century pieces are art and design, retro items and street art: “But the stuff that makes the money is the stuff that is attributed to, or signed by a maker,” he says.

“We get a lot of collectors in trawling for that elusive piece, as well as dealers, connoisseurs and private buyers.” Wilf explains why private buyers are attracted to Silverwoods: “A modern piece can be a focal point among older furniture and decor, vice versa, people who have decorated in the minimalist style might buy a statement antique”.

Wilf assures me that antiques are still as popular as ever. Television shows like Antiques Roadshow, and more recently Bargain Hunt, have broadened the appeal of antiques: “They have trivialised the business to an extent but I think any promotion is good promotion,” he says.

On the subject of Ebay, Wilf is not concerned about its effect on the antiques industry, explaining: “Ebay is alright for things if you know what they look like, but there is no substitute for seeing a piece live.”

There’s no question that the Ribble Valley has a healthy antiques and collectables scene. “It’s a very nice part of the world,” Wilf says; “There is an element of wealth in the Ribble Valley, a lot of our stuff comes from Ribble Valley houses and goes to Ribble Valley houses. “Private buyers are keeping local items in the area.”

As I head back to the city, with my bags heavier than when I arrived, I am proud to have added to my collection by recycling someone else’s “junk” and without spending a fortune.