DISCLAIMER: I worked relief hours at the Hub but wrote this review before taking on employment…read morethere. Ever since I bought my bike second hand a few months ago, I've been whizzing about Stirling town. Nothing intense. - A short trip here, a short trip there. To uni and back and for small grocery trips. But ever since I got my bike I also wander past the cycle hub curiously. 'I have a bike now! Can I join you in your hub of cycling?' It's a pretty little set-up next to Stirling train station and cycling's its thing. With a HUGE map of the Stirling area on the wall and awesome seats made out of old bikes, it's worth a visit whether you're a local or visiting cyclist. They can sort you out with cycle routes, give that flat wheel of yours a pump or simply satisfy your need for a good old-fashioned chat about bikes. After a quick like of the Stirling Cycle Hub facebook page I saw that they had a festive night light cycle planned that would go around town and last an hour. Sign me up! So, with tinsel round our bikes, we were welcomed by such passionate, friendly people! My wheels were a little on the flat side so they were happy to pump them up for me before we hit the road and there were free lights for those who didn't have any on their bike or just wanted to get more into the festive theme of the ride. The ride couldn't have been safer and we were signed in and out to ensure we were all back in one piece. It had been planned to cycle routes as much as possible which was great for anyone who was apprehensive about road cycling and the ride was leisurely, not strenuous! It was a lovely cycle about town as we got several 'toots' for our festive attire! We soon headed back to the hub for tea, mince pies and chatter. Police even stopped by to stamp our bikes so they could be traced if stolen. (Yay for anti-theft and the Cycle Hub's great local connections!) Now, it really grinds my gears (pardon the pun!) when people say that there's not a lot to do in Stirling and that there's far better communities thriving in larger cities. There's community if you look and the Stirling Cycle Hub is a really great find!

The minute I set eyes on CHAS, I just knew we'd be friends. I'd pass by everyday and gaze lovingly…read moreat the stock filling up, waiting for the day Stirling's newest charity shop would open its doors to the people of Stirling. The window display looked great and the shop had a trendy vintage feel about, similar to the chic charity shops you'd find on Glasgow's Byres Road. Each time I walked past, I felt like the shop was teasing me with all it's second-hand vintage goodies. I could look but I couldn't touch... ....Until the shop opened and I could finally fulfill my thrifty desire. Wow, wow, wow! The place is huge and filled with lovely things. Velvet pencil skirt. Fringed flapper mini. Green safari jacket. Everything was lovely and beautiful and so many pieces caught my eye. Impressive considering the shop had only just opened! With more than a handful of garments, I popped to the changing room. The changing room is GIANT! - More like a dressing room with a little chair and quirky decorations. With such roomy changing facilities, you might as well make the most of them! Dance, skip, jump. Give yourself a personal fashion show! Why not?! You've certainly got the spacial capacity and you'll be looking dapper in your new clothes! Seriously though, you will not be struggling for space in there. Staff were really very friendly. The manager of the Byres Road CHAS was in for the afternoon and insisted on holding the changing room curtain closed for me, ensuring that there wasn't a gap whilst I changed! - There's nothing worse than that dreaded gap, making for the quickest change in the history of quick-changes. So, I was in no rush and had plenty of time to make my choices. (Don't worry, I overheard them say that they're getting some velcro to sort out the gap. Gap no more!) I left chuffed with an oversized houndstooth coat (£9.99!) and a pearl-style necklace. CHAS may be the newest charity shop in town but it's definitely my favourite so far! Step aside, charity shops of Stirling. - There's a new kid in town!

A huge charity shop with one half dedicated to clothes and the other half books and DVDs. They have…read morenew DVDs every time I'm in and they're the cheapest in town, at £1. The books are pretty good too, I recently managed to get some Jamie Oliver cookbooks really cheap! The china section is always well stocked with good variety. - I recently spotted a fondue set in great condition! Although, the clothes section isn't as good as other charity shops in town and I've never really been taken by anything they have on offer in that side of the shop. Saying that, I love popping in since it's just opposite my flat and is one of the best and most reasonably priced charity shops about. My favourite purchase has been a 17 foot rug for only £10 which fits snugly in my hallway!

Marie Curie Cancer Care is the latest charity-shop addition to Stirling. I frequent the local…read morecharity shops on more than a weekly basis, so I was excited as I saw the 'Marie Curie' sign go up after weeks of speculation over the bright blue paint. This is a spacious charity shop, about the size of two of the normal shop units on Murray Place. There's an abundance of stock to browse and, although this visit was a quick-stop on my usual jaunt around town, I'm sure that as the weeks go on the quality of stock will improve and there'll be some great buys to be found. This time round nothing caught my eye but I look forward to visiting again and searching for some second-hand steals. Stirling town is certainly becoming quite the haven of second-hand shopping and I'm sure Marie Curie will settle in nicely alongside the great offerings so far.

I love a charity shop and Marie curie is a surprise Prices…read moreare fantastic 99p-£2.99 on all clothes got myself some bargains in this shop. It's always clean and tidy and the staff are a good laugh, they always have a smile on there faces...

If there were awards for charity shops in Stirling, Cancer Research would be serious contender for…read morethe colour co-ordination award. Its clothing layout, with colour in mind, is pristine! You want reds, you say? Come over to the red corner where, ranging from the dainty light reds to the showstopping pillar-box reds, you'l find all things rouge! This makes for easy browsing when you're after something in a certain colour. I like it when charity shops arrange in colours because it allows me to head straight to the colours I like best. (I'm a green gal!) The shop always has a great range of stock and, as of late, I've been most taken by the bric a brac section, something which I'd usually avoid when charity shopping. When I was in most recently, they had some excellent vintage film cameras at decent prices and I even saw a trumpet in the window not all that long ago. - Needless to say at £50 and with a lovely vintage case and equipment to boot, it didn't last long at all! They also sell some Cancer Research branded items but not too much that it takes away from the second hand goods. I'll always stop by Cancer Research on my charity shop jaunt about town and I've had some great buys so far!

I do love a charity shop! And this one is a serious contender for my favourite in Stirling. The…read morestaff are really friendly and helpful and they always have a great range of stock and cracking window displays! I'm a sucker for a vintage section so you'll usually find me snooping about that corner of the shop, amidst all manner of quirky vintage attire. I'm usually not one for the Bric a Brac section in charity shops but I've found quite a few gems in here. Most recently, I was taken by a little oriental bowl (which I use for rock salt in the kitchen!) and a cute vintage perfume dispenser with a little pump. They were both a heck of a bargain at £1 for the bowl and £2 for the perfume pump! Even better, they had a sale on. - Everything was 3 for 2! I also bought a lovely vintage shirt which meant I got the bowl for free. Result! They often get old stock from retail stores, most commonly H&M. It's great that you can get these clothes, unworn, for a fraction of their retail price. The only thing I would say is that, for me, this takes away the one thing I love most about charity shopping! - The fact that you'll never know who wore the garment before you or where it came from. I just love the real mystery of never knowing what you might find and imagining just who the items belonged to previously! Because of these donations, there are often many duplicates in the store and they are usually there for quite some time. I don't think I've ever bought one of these garments as I usually head straight on over to the vintage clothing. Nonetheless, this is a brilliant shop and one of the places I always visit when I'm in town. Something usually always catches my eye and it's one of the more reasonably priced charity shops. An added bonus is that British Cross have a 'Give & Gain' loyalty card meaning you can save up points for discount vouchers or donate your points to British Red Cross projects. Charity shops have never been cooler. Go forth and spend!

Nice little shop. Quite small…read more Mainly good for weird clothing and bric a brac

Creative Stirling doesn't stand as your typical business. However, they're most definitely worth…read morewriting about. Aiming to make Stirling a culturally diverse, creative community, they operate in the Old Town Jail and host regular events in Stirling town.The diversity of events varies from poetry slams to pop-up street food afternoons. For events like this to be happening in Stirling is really very exciting and it's great to see a real community develop and thrive as a result. As a band, we've been involved with Creative Stirling on several occasions. The organisation is small and feels genuinely home-grown. As a result, money from events goes back into the pot, making future events a possibility. So, any performing acts should bear in mind that the budget won't stretch as far to paying them. We were totally okay with this as it's really great to play gigs with such a genuine sense of community. Along with this, the organisation of events has always been a little haphazard. But again, considering the size and budget of the organisation, this is to be expected. Paula, the event manager, has a lovely, enthusiastic spirit. When things have seemed a little disorganised before events we've been booked for in the past, she really couldn't have been more apologetic and quick to get things straightened out for us. Understandably, getting your hands on a PA isn't always the easiest thing and tech forms do go a miss. I enjoy your events, Creative Stirling. Keep doing what you do!

There's several things I love in life; Yelp, gin, my hamster Dwight, a juicy burger...And, of…read morecourse, I love myself a bargain. From my routine search of the charity shops in town, this one has proved to be my most trusty source for second-hand delights. Cue 'OMG, where did you get that from?' and a disbelieving 'Really?!' when you confess. With impeccable colour co-ordination and stock organisation, this store is a delight to browse. It's very clear where everything is which makes working your way through the stock an easy task. Go for it, you thrifty thing! I've noticed, from my last few visits, that they've had an extensive range of dresses, lots of them long and flowing. With my grad ball approaching, you bet that I'd be snapping up one of their bargain offerings if I hadn't picked my dress already. The back of the store is certainly worth a browse too with an impressive range of gift sets and bric a brac and it's usually always in great condition. I got myself a Jaeger (!!!) skirt for £9.95 today. It's tweed; grey with flashes of pink, and fits like a glove. No one has to know. But if they ask, I'm sure as hell going to tell them; Cancer Research is the place to go for second-hand shopping in Stirling.

We hand in a lot of unwanted items here. Staff are very friendly, and we get regular updates on how…read moremuch the items sold for! Great cause..

My experience of SOSN is coming home to new furniture. Let me explain:…read more Moving into an unfurnished flat was a daunting prospect but luckily the fresh-on-the-scene Something Old, Something New offered cheap second-hand furniture, all in aid of Parkinson's. I was working when my flatmates went to have a peek at what was available and I was also out when the chosen furniture was delivered. I trusted my roomies' judgement and chipped in my third of the cost. For what I payed, I'm delighted with what we got: a mega, mega bargain of a dining table, four chairs and a three-piece sofa for £150! - My flat has furniture and I am not flat out skint as a result. And the money went to a great cause. The one comment my flatmates made was that the two men who delivered required a lot of assistance since they were a little older. But delivery is free and carried out by volunteers; you really can't complain. I really, really can't wait to visit the SOSN unit and see more of what they've got to offer, but at the moment I'm sitting on my new couch and grateful that my flat is all the more homely for it.

From the owner: we recycle furniture, clothing books toys and crockery, to raise funds to help find a cure for…read moreParkinson's