A charity department store is extending it's tenure at Westgate Oxford shopping centre due to increased demand for pre-loved clothes.

Founders of Charity Super.Mkt, Maria Chenoweth and Wayne Hemingway, originally launched the retail outlet in 2023.

The shop, described as a "department store for second-hand style", will reopen on January 18, offering an additional three months of operations.

Oxford Mail: The store will return from January 18 The store will return from January 18 (Image: Charity Super.Mkt)

So far, more than 3,500 items have been purchased, raising a substantial £37,000 for charities such as Sobell Hospice, Havens Hospice, and TRAID.

Westgate Oxford's centre director, Brendan Hattam said: "We’ve seen that our guests are really engaging with the trend for pre-loved fashion, so it’s a huge win-win to be welcoming back such a fantastic brand.

“Charity Super.Mkt is a proven concept which has been exciting shoppers across the UK for the past year.

"Their ethos aligns with Westgate Oxford’s continued commitment to becoming a more sustainable retail destination, so we’re delighted that they’re opening their doors once again.”

Oxford Mail: The store will return from January 18 The store will return from January 18 (Image: Charity Super.Mkt)

Mr Hemingway said: "It has been a whirlwind of a year since we started on this journey to show that charity fashion garments could and should be part of a modern retail mix.

"The Westgate pop-up has demonstrated that the concept is not only exciting to shoppers who are becoming increasingly more climate conscious but is also creating uplifts in footfall.

"Most importantly, every pound spent in store is a ‘good pound’, so customers are providing much needed income for a range of brilliant local causes.

“We’re thrilled to be catering to that demand by opening another temporary store at Westgate Oxford, and we’re excited to see the centre’s guests browsing the store’s array of specially curated items once again.”

Maria Chenoweth, TRAID CEO and Charity Super.Mkt co-founder, said: "The creation of Charity Super.Mkt has brought charity retailers into mainstream retail, gaining locations that would have otherwise been inaccessible.

“Westgate Oxford’s Charity Super.Mkt store gives local charities including Sobell House Hospice, Havens Hospice and TRAID the opportunity to raise more funds.

"That means more nursing time in hospices, and in TRAID’s case support for the people who make our clothes."

In addition to upcycling preloved clothes, the company's efforts have prevented 1,011 kg of clothing from ending up in landfill, saved 1,619 cubic metres of water, and prevented 9 kg of CO2 emissions per kg of clothing.

The funds raised have funded 1,280 hours of end-of-life care for Havens Hospices, and affording vital support for waste pickers in Dhaka's Matuail landfill site.

Charity Super.Mkt will return to Westgate Oxford from January 18 until the April 17.