One of the charity shops which on my aforementioned trips through Formby village I usually spend…read morevery little time in - the reason simply are the clothes. Whilst boasting a decent selection of videos (hallucinatory kiddies classic 'Dougal and the Blue Cat') and records (a fair old selection of Mancini and Ella Fitzgerald vinyl when I was last there, amongst the 'Pop Pickers '73' albums etc.) the clothing is mostly for those of the female lady-type feminine persuasion (or at least someone more metrosexual than myself.) The shop is small though and as most of the charity shoppers in the village tend to be womenfolk themselves (awaiting confirmation of this from the national office of statistics) I can hardly blame them from playing to the crowd on the clothing front. The books though shouldn't be overlooked with modern classics by Julian Barnes and Hilary Mantel cropping up amongst the Dan Brown's and Wilbur Smith's.

When it comes to helping the aged I do my part; I ring my grandma pretty often, sometimes I even…read morereach to the high shelf to get down that last box of porridge oats for struggle elder shoppers at the supermarket. I shouldn't feel guilty about it. I don't throw old cream cakes or bits of omelette at pensioners but somehow, when I see adverts about OAPs freezing in their underheated flats a pang of guilt hits me. Maybe I should do more of my charity shopping here then. Guilt wouldn't be the only reason of course, there are boardgames and tennis rackets and cable-knit sweaters aplenty for me to splash my cash on - not too many records but every charity shop has to have its weak point otherwise they would just completely overtake from actual shops and then the economy would be shot and where would that leave the aged? Unhelped, that's where.

I cannot say enough great things about this charity shop which is by far my favourite on the Formby…read morecircuit - they've supplied me with fancy dress outfits, tweed jackets and brushed plaid shirts for years now and haven't started overpricing their items unlike some other charity shops. You can still get a ton of videos for a couple of pounds, full suits for less than £15 and any of the ties from the great selection for under £3. The nic-nacs and bric-a-brac is not of Animals in Need standard (you are more likely to find an old vegetable steamer here than a set of commemorative horse brasses) but they do sell frequently sell completely unused items; I have bought a great oxford shirt and a set of candles here, both still in wrappers - does it make me sad that I considered that to be a fantastic achievement? Yes, is the answer.

When doing the charity shop circuit around Formby village as I often do (of course I have friends!)…read moreI almost invariably miss out Animals in Need. It's a great shame because while the content of the other charity shops in the village has become very similar (to the extent where I managed to come across the same Primark t-shirt in three different charity shops in the space of a week) this little trove seems to get a huge amount of interesting stuff donated. Maybe it's to do with the sort of people who would rather see their old clutter sent to an animal charity but the bric-a-brac and nic nacs here are particularly odd. Mirrors with alpine scenes etched into them; bronze Arabic-looking coffee pots; and model ship after model ship. It goes without saying that I almost never buy anything from here (with the exception of a set of 1987 Oktoberfest beer steins for 50p each - bargain!) but it's consistently an interesting place to have a little rummage.

I have gotten quite a good few items from here but it is the manager who let's the shop down. I…read morehave wanted to report this lady so many times but I have heard (from the managers of other charity shops who listen to customers grumbles about her) that the manager reads the letters complaining about her and disposes of them. I have found that this lady is rude, arrogant, opinionated and will not help you in anyway. Examples are. A table set was spotted by someone and asked if it could be held for 24 hours so they could arrange collection. She was told. No that they would have to travel to melling to collect it as of sold and not collected it would have to go there regardless of the fact that had it not sold it would still been sat in the shop. It had already been in the shop for 4 weeks. One more night was not goin to hurt it. Within a week items were seen in the shop with sold on them for 2 to 3 days. The other day my friends daughter spotted two fae ornaments that were made by an artist friend. The "nice" lady that works there asked the manager what she should mark them in the book as and the manager replied "crap". My friends daughter was still at the till paying and said " these are actually done by an artist friend of mine and he is very famous among the world of fae and Elgin folk" to which the manager whispered under her breath but a very loud whisper " a likely story" again my friends daughter was stood literally next to this woman. The nice assistant was clearly flustered by this and said to my friends daughter " enjoys your purchase" to which she replied " yes I will do ty. Even if it is crap". The flustered assistant hastily replied "she was only joking". Another time she yelled at a child who literally caught a lamp from falling to the floor. She accused him of messing with it even though there were many witnesses who said he stopped it from falling. No apology was given and he was told to wait outside the store. The manager also gossips about customers even if they are in the store! and also undermines the other staff. They will make a discussion and she knocks them right down even if what they do is right. The other shopkeepers in Formby, especially the charity shop next door all say they hear at least two complaints a day about her When she isn't in the shop it's a lovely happy atmosphere bit when you go in and smell the dog you know that she is in there and your heart drops. That's why I've given it the mark I have.