Red Card in Petworth is well known for its arresting window displays and initiatives, but owner Sally Matson set out to make sure the store’s re-opening message really was pants!
Coinciding with the re-opening of a completely refurbished shop yesterday was the launch of Sally’s ‘lockdown project’, Brief Request, a charitable organisation dedicated to providing those in need with fresh, new underwear.
Explaining the background to Brief Request, Sally told PG Buzz: “I have been doing some work for the Haslemere Clothing Bank during the past 12 weeks and have learnt that new underwear can be hard to come by in times of crisis.” As Sally pointed out people donate second-hand clothes and shoes readily, “but not knickers/jocks/shreddies/smalls, whatever you call them. Now, through Brief Request, new undies can be donated to us here at Red Card and we’ll make sure they get to local people who need them.”
Sally pays tribute to Jo Wilson, owner and creative maestro of Dandelion Stationery, who created some amazing artwork, free of charge to help get the message out there to the public.
“I can’t thank Jo enough. Without her brilliant creativity all this was just an idea in my head,” said Sally.
Posters, featuring slogans such as ‘Because it’s pants not having any pants’, ‘Because going commando should be a choice’ and ‘Donate some pants, it’s your turn to be a hero’ alongside Jo’s distinctive illustrations feature in the Red Card window, the colours tying in with a repurposed postbox into which customers are encouraged to donate the underwear.
All Red Card customers are being given specially produced postcards that explains all about the initiative. ‘Think about it for a minute. Charity shops don’t sell used pants. Clothing banks don’t give them out. You can’t find them on eBay. You wouldn’t want to wear anyone’s secondhand smalls,’ reads the introductory text on the postcard.
‘So, next time you buy briefs for yourself or your family, why not throw in a pair for someone else? Little boys, teenagers, grannies, everyone needs them.’
Socks, bras, boxers, knickers in any size are welcome while a JustGiving crowdfunding page has also been set up for those who would rather donate money to the project (https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/briefrequest)
