St Vincent de Paul Society NSW will be joining with other charities in the Week’s activities.

It says the Week will be a celebration of vintage fashion, amazing op shop bargains, supporting charity and the environmental benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling.

“More and more people are actively taking steps to reduce the amount of waste they create. National Op Shop Week focuses on fashion and fun, but also highlights the importance of reducing consumption by recycling clothing and supporting local op shops,”  Jack de Groot, chief executvie of St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, says.

“Charity shops play a vital role in delivering much-needed services to these communities and people in need. We give away clothes, furniture and homeware to people going through hard times. The generosity of our donors is reflected in the wide range of good quality contemporary and vintage items we receive.”

The society’s NSW president Denis Walsh touts the impactful and hugely positive social benefits that come from supporting op shops such as Vinnies.

“The week is a good time to remind everyone about the importance of donating good quality clothing and goods to charity stores, and what impact this has on the local region,” he says.

“In NSW sales from our shops equate to approximately 40 per cent of our revenue, so I cannot underestimate how significant the support of our shoppers and donors is.

“By taking part in National Op Shop Week, op shops like Vinnies will continue to evolve and help bring about a more liveable, sustainable community.”

National Op Shop Week is the brainchild of Jon Dee and DoSomething, a charity which aims to make it easier for people to get involved in community volunteering.

“It’s exciting to see the growing awareness of the importance of op shops in Australia,” Mr Dee said.

“We give preloved items a second life, reduce landfill and contribute towards the provision of essential services in communities all over the country. Remember, one person’s quality trash is someone else’s quality treasure.”

Vinnies will be running a #VinniesOpInTheNameofLove Instagram photo competition during National Op Shop Week. This is the opportunity for Vinnies shoppers to share images of their favourite purchases during the Week. There will be great prizes up for grabs.