Charity comes first in second-hand clothing sale

Thousands of people turned out for the second-hand clothes sale, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

The sale has raised more than $1.5 million since its humble beginning in a garage on Bindaring Parade in Claremont on July 11, 1964, when it raised 51 pounds to fund a drop off for children at the Lady Lawley Cottage.

A line of shoppers about 200m long formed outside the boutique sale pavilion on May 25 before making a mad dash to buy their share of the designer clothing at discounted prices.

Special donations from high profile donors such as Megan Gale and Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce were also auctioned off on the day.

Australian Red Cross patron Tonya McCusker and her four-year-old daughter Mary met Bindaring volunteers to donate items of clothing and award medals of service to the original founders of the sale.

‘The warmth of what you’re doing on this cold May morning is just outstanding,’ Mrs McCusker said.

Red Cross WA Executive Director Steve Joske said the sale was not about the clothes but about raising money for people in need.

‘Let us never forget there are people in our community that desperately need what you are folding and putting on the rack,’ Mr Joske said.