Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

This year’s mayoral wardrobe is full of smart outfits, all bought at local charity shops.

“When I knew I was going to be mayor, I was determined not to buy anything new,” explained the current Lancaster mayor.

“Many people often buy new clothes and only wear them once before donating them to charity shops, so they are perfect for my mayoral duties.”

Coun Joyce Pritchard, the Lancaster mayor, is wearing only charity shop outfits for mayoral functions this year to help the environment. She will donate them back to charity after her year is up. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard

Coun Pritchard scours the many local charity shops and estimates she now has more than 20 outfits including dresses, jackets, hats and shoes in the wardrobe of her home in Brookhouse.

The Liberal Democrat councillor for Lower Lune Valley has also received a couple of wedding outfits from friends to add to her mayoral collection.

“There’s more clothes in the world than we need so it’s important that we re-use them,” she said.

Coun Pritchard even wore a second hand outfit to her mayor making ceremony in May, and when she met Prince Charles on his recent visit to Morecambe, she made her dress from fabric bought locally.

Coun Joyce Pritchard with some of her second-hand mayoral outfits.

She hasn’t yet decided what she’ll wear to greet Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex when they visit Lancaster in September.

The mayor receives an allowance for expenses incurred during the year so what Coun Pritchard saves on clothes, she uses on having her hair styled and nails manicured, which provide the finishing touches to her appearance.

Coun Pritchard wouldn’t disclose which is her favourite charity shop but her mayoral charities are Morecambe Bay Foodbank and the SAFE: Prop Up Project, which works with young people and adults with mental health issues and other life challenges.

Mayor of Lancaster dresses to impress in charity shop clothes