Customers flock to Salvation Army Donation Centre runway show

Posted: 01.11.26

Two images, on the left man hugging a women smiling, on the right photo of woman in tie dress and man in a suit walking the catwalk

The Salvation Army donation centre in Gorseinon is no stranger to championing sustainability in the community of Swansea. From Repair Cafés to Sally Salvage events, where 100’s of furniture items are given away for free, the store prides itself on affordability and community spirit.

For this year’s Sustainable Fashion Week which took place from 26^th September till 4^th October, the team decided to host a community fashion show, showcasing fashion, fun and fabulous finds.

”It was such a great community engagement event last year we just had to do it again” shared store Manager Gareth Carnegie. The event took place 1^st October and featured a variety of items donated by members of public and carefully crafted by the donation centres Repair Café members. The first half of the show displayed outfits made up of upcycled or repurposed items, such as clothing pieces made from tea towels or bed sheets.

3 pieces of upcycled clothing including jeans with white lace, a shirt made from an apron and hoodie made from various scrap fabrics

The second part of the show showcased outfits from this year’s £10 Charity Shop Challenge, which saw customers create standout outfits from bargain finds at their local Salvation Army charity shop. The items were gifted to the individuals that wore them on the catwalk. The event also aimed to educate customers on second hand fashion, with donation centre volunteer Amy creating impactful info stations throughout the store, including a creative washing line of facts.

Two images, on the left: Clothing items on a rail with sustainability fact infographics, on the right: selection of small items with a thank you card

The event received great response from the community, with over 120 people attending the evening of fun. “It was a great atmosphere!” said Gareth, “Everyone in the team had a great time. Some of them came in especially for the event.” Early attenders to the show also received a warm welcome pack containing various donated or handmade items. Word about the fashion show spread fast as the team worked hard to promote the event to customers instore and online.

If you missed this year’s show - fear not, as the team have already begun planning for the next one, “Everyone has shared their excitement about next year’s one. Everyone is looking forward to it.”

You can stay up to date with the Gorseinon donation centre on Facebook: Swansea Donation Centre Facebook

For all other events near you, check out our events page: Events - Salvation Army