Charity shop gets £40,000 wedding dresses donation

Sally Lewis, manager of the shop, said the donation was "incredibly generous"

A charity shop in Kent has received a "generous" donation of wedding dresses from a retired bridal shop owner.

Oxfam on Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, received about £40,000 worth of wedding dresses and accessories from Judy Mott who ran a self-titled bridal studio in the town.

Sally Lewis, manager of the shop, said: "It is such an incredibly generous donation, and we couldn’t be more thankful."

Ms Mott who has over 30 years of experience designing wedding dresses decided to retire at the end of 2023.

The shop in Tunbridge Wells created a special bridal area to showcase the donations

Among the items donated by Ms Mott were 20 wedding dresses, 10 mother-of-the-bride outfits, 10 lace boleros, 20 veils, 15 pairs of bridal shoes, page boy waistcoats and jewellery sets.

Ms Lewis said she "couldn't believe" it when she found out Ms Mott had "donated such incredibly beautiful wedding dresses" made of silk and French lace.

The shop manager said there had been a lot of interest in the dresses and the donation would "really help" those who may be struggling to afford a dress amid the cost of living crisis.

Since the donation, Ms Lewis said more women had donated their own wedding dresses.

The shop in Tunbridge Wells has created a special bridal area to showcase the donations.

All proceeds from the sale of the dresses will go to Oxfam.