Celebrity charity shop opens

13 May 2010, 14:01 | Updated: 14 May 2010, 10:09

A group of celebrities have teamed up with Oxford-based Oxfam to open a glitzy charity shop.

Zoe Ball (pictured), Beverley Knight and Annie Lennox are among the stars supporting the temporary second hand store on London's Oxford Street.

It's been crammed full of celeb cast offs, including the floor-length size 10 Vionnet gown film star Carey Mulligan wore to the Baftas.

Other one-offs have been donated by Beyonce, Alexa Chung, Elle McPherson, Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Shirley Bassey, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Anya Hindmarch, Stella McCartney and Christian Lacroix.

The Oxfam Curiosity Shop will be open in the front of Selfridges' flagship London store until 20 May 2010.  Cash raised from the project will help women's projects around the world run by Oxfam, who are based in Cowley, Oxford.

In a statement, Carey Mulligan said: "I'm honoured to be able to donate my Bafta dress to support Oxfam's work helping women living in extreme poverty across the world."

Annie Lennox helped Beverley Knight try on a pair of yellow snake print boots and donated a shimmering gold dress to the shop.

She said: "Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved second hand clothes."

The shop will also stock more than 6,000 hand-picked vintage and high-end items, including clothing, accessories, music, books, homewares and art, donated to Oxfam branches from across the country.

Sarah Farquhar, head of retail for Oxfam, said: "To see such a powerful group of women come together and plough so much time and energy into a project has been incredibly inspiring.

"The shop is a very exciting venture and we can't wait to see hordes of keen Oxfam shoppers being wowed by the truly amazing stock we have waiting for them.

"Our women's projects across the world will benefit hugely from every pound we take and help us make real steps towards lifting vulnerable women out of poverty."