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Charity Shops in general
by angelraver
My earliest memory of charity shops was standing outside Oxfam in Liverpool city centre, waiting patiently for my mum who was scoping out the tat inside. I was 14 at the time, and my street cred was everything. I thought charity shops were places where you picked up cheap, grandad jumpers with holes in them and wouldn't dare step into ... one, the worst case being if someone from school seen me then I should prepare myself for chants of 'Eeeeee she shops in Oxfam' for the rest of my school days.
14 years on, oh how the tide has turned!! I'm a true charity shop convert! Gone are the days of when charity shops were just seen as places which sold smelly old rags only little old ladies shopped in. They are now a high street establishment in most cities and towns across the country, selling an array of items from bric-a-brac, music, electrical, clothing and books, plus much, much more, with most stores selling good quality, safe items which have been checked before being put out on the shop floor, this especially applying to electrical goods. Most charity shops will also steam clean clothing and size it accordingly before putting it out on the shop floor.
Whilst I think a few charity shop chains have become a bit greedy and putting their prices up, overall, they still remain great places to grab bargains, especially in today's climate where we are all having to tighten our belts with spending. I also find the experience of charity shopping much more exciting then a regular shop, as you really never know what you're going to find, and when you do find something really good, it's a real buzz, not to mention getting it at a bargain price!
Some of the bargains I've found over the years include;
* A cozy parka coat for £2
* A pair of Asics gel running trainers for £1.50
* An unused bottle of Calvin Klein perfume for £3
* Knitted John Rocha baby dress 99p
* Wooden/metalwork small table £8
I admit some items I've bought, especially clothing may need the odd small repair but if you're willing to spend a little time doing that it's no big deal! Also some shops arn't as organised as others and you do have to have a good old rummage which could put some people off, I don't mind it myself and think it adds to the excitment! Another possible negative of charity shops, based on my own experience in working in one is that the paid staff, i.e managers can take advantage of volunteer's good nature that work their unpaid. After all, where would these shops be without people who are willing to give up their free time to come and work for nothing?
So to conclude, I can see myself buying from charity shops for years to come, and Im sure one day my own daughter will be converted! Charity shopping is a great way to find bargains, and if you're patient enough there's some really good ones to be had. And of course, not forgetting that your purchases are helping really good causes-it's win win all round!!!
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The National Trust
by blissman70
My wife was a member of the national trust in her hay days, praising about the money she had saved on days out, although she did let her membership lapse and never got around to renewing it.
So, last year, after seeing an offer on a leaflet, we decided to join on a family membership, saving just over £20.00 on the annual cost, and ... to be honest, I'm glad we did as it has saved us a lot of money whilst giving us some lovely days out.
** Firstly, who and what are the National Trust..?
The National Trust,(NT), or to give it its full name, National Trust for places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a Charitable organisation who own/part own and therefore take care of many beautiful building, together with there contents, plus the acres of land and the animals that roam in that land around England, Wales and Northern Ireland for all to enjoy.
(As for Scotland, well they have a separate organisation called the National Trust for Scotland).
The organisation, whose symbol, a sprig of Oak leaves, is taken from a carving of an Oak leaf at Alfrison Clergy House, was formed on the 12 January 1895 by three men, Octavia Hill, Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, after hearing of a similar foundation called the Kyrle Society, founded by Charles Eliot.
When the NT first started they concentrated on the protection of open land and buildings which were deemed under threat, with the first property being Alfriston Clergy House in East Sussex, their first nature reserve being Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire and the first monument being White Barrow in Wiltshire.
Since then the NT has grown, thanks to the many members and the many charitable donations, possibly one of the most famous being Beatrix Potter who bought and donated land and buildings in and around the Cumbrian Lake District.
Another large donation, which is the strangest one to date, was given to the NT in 1932 and again in 1940 by a group known as the Ferguson's Gang.
To date the NT own nearly 300 'houses' which contain many historical relics, together with over 630,000 acres of land, including woodland, parks and farmland for all the public to enjoy
Volunteers of the NT number over 61,000 which really helps the trust keep going without too many unnecessary over heads. These many volunteers help in such things as cleaning the houses, tending to the grounds, fundraising and more.
The NT's properties are protected by an act called the 'National Trust Act' which means that the land they own/part own can not be sold or built upon, thus protecting it as it stands.
** How to join the National Trust...
Joining this organisation is easily achieved, filling in the on-line application form, which take about ten minutes to complete.
You are asked a few questions, such as the name of the Adults, and children if it's a family membership, the ages of all the people you want on the membership, plus the address of the 'main' named person., and an E-mail address so they can contact you.
Once you have filled in the names of the people you want on the membership you then have to fill in either your bank details, to set up a direct debit, which is where the 'offer' saves you money in the first year. Or by filling in your Debit/credit card details.
NOTE: This process is safe but do check for the web-site security features, namely the little 'padlock' in the bottom right corner and the 'S' after the HTTP in the URL search area.
Once the process is complete the NT send you a temporary membership card for you to print out, this is so you can start visiting the many places that the national trust own, all for the cost of your member ship fee.
** How much does it cost to join..?
The membership prices vary...
Joining on-line using a direct debit payment method will give you a discount on your first year, giving you a full twelve months membership for the price of 9 months.
The full prices, without the discount are...
* Individual memberships
(age 13-25) £23.50 per year or £1260 for a lifetime membership
(age 25-60) £50.50 per year or £1260 for a lifetime membership
(age 60+) £50.50 per year or £ 829.50 for a lifetime membership
* Family memberships
2 adult and there children £88.50 per year or £1732.50 for a lifetime membership,
NOTE:
For a family membership all those named in the application have to live at the same address.
Plus, if you join now, (March 2011), you get a free gift of a rather 'nifty' pair of foldaway binoculars, but this offer is not on going so if you want them then check out the site to see if the offers still on.
** What are the benefits of becoming a member..?
If you enjoy wondering around beautiful gardens or love to look inside fascinating old properties then joining the National Trust will save you a bundle in the long run.
This is because members can gain free access to the many NT houses and gardens, including car parking.
You will also receive a members hand book which gives details of all up coming events which the NT are organising throughout the year, plus a list of the many houses and land.
It does take a few weeks for your membership pack to arrive, if I remember ours initially took nearly 6 weeks due to the fact that they were inundated with new members at the time, but when it comes you get all the information you need to get you up and running.
But, regardless of the time it takes to receive your pack, you can immediately start enjoying the benefits of your membership as a temporary membership card is sent to your E-Mail address. This pass lasts for four weeks of the date you joined and, if like me, the pack takes longer than four weeks a quick phone call to the National Trust call centre and they will send another temporary pass to your E-Mail address so you can keep enjoying the benefits.
** What's in the pack..?
* Membership card (s), (the colour of the two I received were bright orange), if you join on a family membership you should get two cards with a little letter 'C' under the adults names, this letter 'C' stands for children.
* Car parking sticker, which is found inside the handbook.
* A map of the UK indicating where every National Trust property is and a few brief descriptions of some of the many properties to explore.
* A handbook containing more detailed information about the many national Trust properties.
* Information leaflet
* Seasonal magazine for the period you joined.
* A pair of binoculars, (if you join during the offer period).
All this comes in a cardboard envelope so you can keep it all together.
** PLUS
The National Trust also offer a wide range of holiday cottages at reasonable prices, so check out there site for more details.
** MY OPINION...
Since joining the NT my family and I have visited many of the properties, revisiting some just for a nice day out, and we plan on trying to visit many more.
One of the reasons we decided to become members was mainly due to the fact that the prices of everything in this country is on the up and, with the many school holidays coming upon us, we thought that for the sake of £66.38, (the first year discounted price), we as a family could enjoy the wonders that is the British Country side without having to worry about how much it will cost us to get into it.
When you look at the cost of the annual membership, the family one in my case, it may seem a little on the costly size, being nearly £90.00 without the discount, but I can guarantee that you will have saved the £90.00, and more, when you start to visit the NT places.
For instance parking at NT car parks cost on average £5.00, then there's the cost to get into the properties and the gardens, which, let's say on average cost around £15.00 per family visit, so, for arguments sake that's £20.00 for a day out with the family.
So a visit to say, Lyme Hall in Disley, Sizergh Castle near Kendal, Speke Hall in Liverpool and Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, you have certainly had you membership monies worth in days out.
Planning a day out is easy to do, especially with the help of the handbook, which comes in the pack. This handbook is crammed with plenty of details of every NT owned property and is so easy to navigate due to it's alphabetical order and colour coded regions. The information included tells you where the property is and how to get there, times of opening and what the property has to offer. This is all explained in a clear and easy to understand format so you can choose a place to visit with ease.
I won't go into details about the properties that the National Trust own around England, Wales and Northern Ireland but suffice to say that there are hundreds of to explore, each one offering that different experience, from a gentle stroll to a vigorous bike ride, and a lot in between.
Each property is family friendly and the majority, if not all the ground will accept you pet dogs, as long as they are under full control due to the wildlife that roams free.
What more can I say about the National Trust?
Well, if you want a great family day out, or even if you just want to loose yourself in the tranquil that is a National Trust garden, then for the sake of the cost of a Night out you can do so every single day of the year.
There is always plenty to do for the entire family and it is a peaceful way to keep the kids fit and healthy as you wonder around the acres and acres of land each property has to offer.
Take a journey onto the National Trust website and see for your self how becoming a member will give you lots to see and do.
Plus, you'll be helping to keep many of the National Trust properties in a good state so that they can be enjoyed by everyone for the foreseeable future.
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