~St.Gemma's Vintage Fair~

For those of you out there in blog land who love vintage as I do, and live in travelling distance of Leeds, do try and visit the Vintage Fair at St.Gemma's in Moortown, Leeds.  The next event is on Saturday and Sunday 24th & 25th September, both days are open 10-4, entry is by donation.  I've had some good finds here, including vintage evening bags, crystal necklaces, fabric, crockery and a wheely tea trolley for £10 and even been a stallholder (But I prefer mooching, rummaging and buying!)

They're organised by Hayley Avron, Fundraising Assistant at the Hospice and have been running since 2007.
Over to Hayley...

"To start with, we just had a few stallholders and would sell stock from our own charity shops. As time has gone on, our shop managers have become increasingly familiar with the kind of stock that vintage enthusiasts like to see and we've rescued a lot of stock that may otherwise have been buried or (gulp!) given to rag merchants.  Now the Vintage Fairs generally raise between £7,000 and £9,000 per event. We now have around 20 stallholders and two rooms full of our own stock. In 2009, we were awarded with an 'Innovation Award' at the Association of Charity Shops' annual awards.We're always looking for ways to improve the event and keep it fun; in September we will have people displaying some vintage style perambulators (prams!) and someone else doing vintage style nails, hair & make-up."

I can't recommend the event highly enough, and it's in support of such a worthwhile cause. There are usually refreshments including tea and coffee and cupcakes. The 2 rooms that house the Hospice vintage stock are displayed with some real vintage flair and panache with so many lovely treasures to look at. This is where you can find Francesca, the deputy Manager of the Street Lane shop, who helps run the fairs and is always suitably dressed for the occasion.

Fran on the left, with Sandra, a volunteer helper, on the right, assisted by the granddaughter of one of the stallholders, who has been a permanent fixture since the start, Hayley says "she's grown-up with our Vintage Fairs and loves playing dress-up with Fran!"

For further information about the event or being a stallholder (the stalls get booked quickly!) click here or contact Hayley Avron on 0113 218 5570. It's located in the hospice conference centre in Moortown, off the Leeds Ring Road at LS17 6QD.
Hopefully I'll see you all there!