Pre-loved equals planet love

MONDAYS, ST MARK’S, 9-11AM

Every Monday, except bank holidays, St Mark’s Church is filled with rails and tables bursting with clothes and shoes, all of them available free to anyone who wants them.

This is our Clothing Giveaway which we run weekly in conjunction with Hale Community Centre. Between 9 and 11am, everybody is welcome to come to the church and pick up clothes for themselves, their families and friends, all of it free. There’s also a free café with cakes and pastries from the Hale Community Fridge and Cupboard which is run at the Community Centre.

The clothes and shoes – we also have bedding and some baby equipment – come from donations, kindly given to us by local people and sometimes shops, and we are happy to receive the donations either on Sundays between 1.30pm and 4pm when we set up, or on Monday mornings. If neither of these times suit you, let us know and we can arrange something else. If you can’t get to the church we can usually pick up.

Why?

The idea behind this is both to help people find clothes without having to spend money and to help protect the environment. The impact of buying new clothes on our bank balances is bad enough, but the impact on the planet is severe.

Fast fashion is the culprit. According to Earth.org:

• It contributes 10% of global carbon emissions (as much as the EU). The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has added that these emissions could increase by 60% by 2030 – that’s only four years away!
• 85% of all textiles go to dumps every year.
• The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer industry of water. Making one cotton shirt takes about 700 gallons, a pair of jeans 2,000 gallons. 
• Many clothes contain synthetic fibres and microplastics which get into the oceans and waterways.

If you want more information on this, the Geneva Environment Network is a good place to go.

Care for people and the planet

So, we try to do our bit, helping people to save money and helping to save the planet. Care for people and care for the environment are fundamental to our Christian mission. We are called on to love our neighbours (Mark 12: 31) and to care for those in need (eg Isaiah 1: 17) and to care for the planet (eg Jeremiah 2:7). The effects of global heating and environmental degradation are felt most by those living in poorer countries which is one reason that there is increased migration these days. Once you cannot live safely on your land you must find somewhere else to move to. Caring for the planet is also loving our neighbours.

The Clothing Giveaway was set up in September 2024 and every week we welcome new people through the door. We are all volunteers and the Giveaway has been funded by Voluntary Action South West Surrey and Farnham Lions as well as by donations from individuals. At times we ask for donations for particular items of clothing if they are new or have a sought-after label and any money raised goes back into running the Clothing Giveaway.

Help needed

We need more volunteers to help us set up on Sundays, run it on Mondays and clear up afterwards. Let us know if you can help (details below).

Come along and find out about it for yourself.

For details, donations and to offer help, call 07342508164 or email Rev’d Stella Wiseman.