WHILE some families can spend a king’s ransom on their children’s first holy communion clothes, a charity that helps those who cannot afford such expensive finery is appealing to Limerick parents to think outside the box.
Gorta-Self Help Africa sells dozens of dresses and suits each year through it’s charity shops network, and by so doing enables families to buy ‘good as new’ clothing at a fraction of the price, while also supporting rural poor households in Africa.
Stocks are low however, and the charity has appealed to families to get in contact if they have Holy Communion wear that they no longer need.
Audrey Haugh has been managing the Limerick Gorta shop for fifteen years and she says that this year they have far fewer dresses than previous years.
“Last year we had a whole window display of communion dresses but we really need donations this year,” she told the Limerick Post.
The shop staff “do everything we possibly can to have the dresses looking fabulous. A child who walks out of here with her communion dress must feel every bit as special as a child who went to a boutique. We don’t sell any dress unless it has been laundered and pressed perfectly,” said Audrey.
Donating a dress to the shop is passing it on the double, Audrey explained. “It helps a family in outfitting a child and it helps the charity itself,” she said.
And people choosing to buy their child’s outfit in the shop are also helping people in the developing world, Gorta says.
And it doesn’t stop at the clothes for the communion child, with beautiful outfits for mothers and elegant suits for dads all in stock to help keep the costs of the event down.
“It’s like an Alladin’s cave in here – we have everything but customers have to be prepared to venture in a couple of times and see what we have”.
Anyone who has a dress or other good clothes to donate can drop them to the shop at 23 High Street.
