Trading up

When the circuit of balls and expensive fund-raising lunches went pear-shaped, Norma Smurfit remained undaunted. Indeed, she sharpened her considerable fund-raising skills and raised €80,000 in one day last year with an upscale bring- and- buy sale at the RDS on behalf of the St Vincent de Paul Society. More than 5,000 people crammed into the hall and next Sunday, March 13th, she hopes to attract even more bargain hunters with over 120 stalls of mostly high-end, secondhand clothes, toys, accessories and whatever you’re having yourself.

It’s a step up from your average car boot sale, basically, with many of the trinkets coming from her circle of friends, including clothes from Lorraine Keane, Jackie Lavin, Lisa Fitzpatrick, Eithne Healy, Deborah Veale and more. Bill Cullen will be there to raffle a car.

Clodagh Hannon (left) of the Tramyard Gallery in Dalkey will be one of the stallholders, and she will be selling prints donated by a number of artists including designer Peter O’Brien and Charlie Whisker.

You can register to contribute at springcleanforcharity.ie or call 086-8221751. If you want to attend, admission is €5 from 11am-5pm on Sunday, March 13th.