Ambassador profile: Emma Wesley (@thecharityshopchick)

As previously announced, we have recently started to recruit a group of 'thrifters' to be ambassadors and represent Clothing Collective.

We will be featuring each one in turn, in as series of Q&A interviews, so you can get to know them more.

To kick-off the series, it's Emma Wesley, who is known as @thecharityshopchick on Instagram.

What got you interested in pre-loved/secondhand clothes?

I have loved shopping second hand since I was a child. I would often visit boot sales and village fetes with my parents. My first paid job was working in a charity shop and I have loved them ever since.

What do you love about charity shops?

I love the randomness of them - no two shops are identical. I love the thrill of what you will find as opposed to rails of identical clothing/items like you find shopping “new” in high street shops. I love that clothing is given a second chance and not just sent to landfill, and that buying secondhand allows money to go back to so many wonderful charities.

Favourite charity shop?

Barnados and St Barnabas Hospice - a Lincolnshire based hospice.

What do you typically shop for in charity shops?

I love the bric-a-brac section! Over the past couple of years I have also lost over 4 stone in weight so I shop for my new size in charity shops. I donated the clothes that no longer fitted to local charity shops so that the clothes could find new homes too.

Any purchase that stand-out as being particularly special or memorable?

I went to Sweden for the Eurovision in 2024 and regretted not buying a Malmö mug while I was there. I recently found the exact same mug in the Stamford Oxfam shop so we have finally been reunited!

Do you get preloved items from anywhere else?

I have bought from Vinted a few times before but I do prefer physically visiting a charity shop.

What advice would you have for people who are interested in switching out their shopping habits to buy more secondhand clothing?

I would recommend trying different areas for charity shops - if I’m going somewhere new I always do a Google Maps search of charity shops in the area! I would also say perseverance is key. It can be a bit hit and miss when charity shopping because the shops only have the stock they get donated as opposed to having the same items in a range of sizes for example. However if you have free time it’s a great way to spend the day exploring the charity shops and seeing what they have. I like supporting the charities through my purchases too.

Why did you decide to become an ambassador for Clothing Collective?

Working in charity retail I see how many clothing items get donated to charity shops each week. The numbers of people in need is also increasing and I thing the Clothing Collective is a great way to support those who need help accessing new clothing.

What are you hoping you will be able to do as an ambassador for us?

As an ambassador I would like to use my social media platform as a way of promoting the Clothing Collective, promoting the good work they do and to encourage others to support.

You can also learn more about Emma and our other ambassadors, who include our celebrity friends Dame Prue Leith, Peter Duncan and Nigel Lindsay.

Are you a thrifter/preloved clothing content creator who's active on social media and would like to join our group? Contact us to learn more!