Leamington’s hidden gems: Charity shops no Warwick student should miss

Ethical clothes shopping on a student budget can often be a daunting and seemingly impossible task. With the winter months approaching, we all want to look and feel good on and off campus, so here is your detailed guide to the best charity shops Leamington has to offer.

From your local favourites to hidden gems, each of these spots is guaranteed to offer fashionable, trending finds that won’t cost you more than a tenner, and are a better ethical, environmentally minded choice.

Cats Protection

Located in the centre of town, Cats Protection is a personal favourite and an excellent starting point for anyone new to the charity shop scene. From fur jackets and designer handbags to second-hand kitchen trinkets and DVDs, Cats Protection has an enormous variety of items, and all at an affordable price. What’s more, they offer loyalty member cards for regular shoppers, giving you a £5 discount on your fifth shop over £10.

The Salvation Army

A hop, skip and a jump away from Cats Protection is The Salvation Army. What this shop perhaps lacks in games and trinkets, it makes up for in the sheer variety and amount of womenswear. The formal dresses and shoes are always a treat to browse, with many high-end brands available at a student-friendly price. As a fan of Warwick societies and their infamous balls, I have bought almost every single one of my formal dresses from a charity shop.

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So, if you’re stuck for what to wear to a ball or formal event and don’t want to spend hundreds of pounds on an outfit, pop into The Salvation Army and you’re sure to find the look for you – or at the very least, a sparkly handbag and a luminescent pink jacket.

Barnados

A little further down the Parade and directly next to the Parish Church bus stop is Barnardos, where you’re guaranteed to find an absolute bargain. Many a time I have popped into Barnados after getting bored of waiting for the bus and have found a fashionable addition to my wardrobe at an extremely affordable price.

As a slightly smaller charity shop, its variety is somewhat limited compared to others; however, its board game section is hard to beat, with most games on offer for less than £2 with all pieces intact.

The Bedford corner

As much as the Parade is always an exciting place to find Leamington’s finest retail spots, some of the best charity shops are only a five minute walk away from the bustle of the town centre. Located on Bedford Street, all tucked together onto one corner, are three of my favourite charity shops: Cancer Research UK, Blue Cross and The Myton Hospices.

These three shops are small but blossom in character and surprises, with a lot of my jewellery and bedroom trinkets having been found there. They’re the kind of shops you walk into just to browse, and leave with a swan-shaped salt and pepper set, simply because it was only £1 and too adorable to leave behind.

Save the Children

Following the road of Bedford Street round onto Regent Street is another cluster of charity shops, including RSPCA and British Red Cross; however, the true star amongst them is Save the Children. It may appear small from the outside, but it’s actually enormous and full to the brim with fashion and home gems. This charity shop definitely has the most variety, with my own pair of salsa heels bought here at an extremely reasonable price, and almost brand new!

Oxfam

A little way up Leamington, but still hidden just off the Parade, is Oxfam. Famous for its incredible book offers, Oxfam will always have something to offer while staying true to its ethical mission as a charity. Beautiful wedding dresses line the front windows of Oxfam, so it’s safe to say there’ll be something for everyone in there.

Leamington is a town bursting with character, colour and a plethora of small businesses we can all support throughout the year. If you like to think of yourself as a fashionista like me, but are tired of spending tons of money on fast fashion, there are countless charity shops lining the hidden streets of Leamington that are full to the brim of surprises, all at an affordable price and ethically sourced.