British Red Cross

Unless you’re off to the jobcentreplus next door, there is little reason why you would walk past this little charity shop located in Chorlton Place — the eyesore of a shopping centre some people want to knock down to build a supermarket and others want to preserve due to the independent shops it houses.
The Red Cross shop is, however, worth a look, and is much better-​stocked than the other Red Cross shop on Wilbraham Road, where they stock odd furniture items and the odd vinyl record. This shop is packed to the brim with clothes and books, and there are always bargains to be had — the cheapest items are often displayed outside the shop.
I don’t like the thought of paying over the odds for a greetings card, which is essentially a piece of card. I do make an exception when I buy them from charity shops and this one has a good selection (especially for old people). I went into this shop on Halloween and heard somebody asking if they had any wedding dresses which they could use as a costume. The friendly Red Cross lady said that they were out of wedding dresses but went out the back to check if they had any suitable bridesmaids dresses. You wouldn’t even get that level of customer service in most high street shops!