For the past five years, Nottingham’s two White Rose recycled fashion boutiques have been doing their bit to support the life-saving work of the Aegis Trust, bringing hand-picked recycled garments to fashionistas across the city. Now a new White Rose boutique is opening 20 miles north in Newark-on-Trent – already home to the Aegis Trust’s HQ.
“White Rose offers a fresh take on traditional ideas of what a charity shop should be,” says Angela Sutton, the Newark Branch Manager. “Every item, every piece, is hand-picked for quality and style – offering customers a standard for which they would pay three or four times the price in high street fashion outlets.”
“We’ve been looking to expand from Nottingham for some time, and felt there was a place in Newark’s diverse market for a fun and interesting recycled fashion boutique,” says Director Grace Walker. “Opening this new store also brings us as close as it’s possible to get to the cause we support – the Aegis Trust – and that’s really quite exciting.”
Born from the UK’s National Holocaust Centre in North Notts in 2000, the Aegis Trust works to build peace in conflict-affected countries through education, research and advocacy for groups of people who are at risk today. It also supports survivors of genocide and mass atrocities, helping them to rebuild their lives. Responsible for the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda – where some 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide lie buried – it is now extending its work to the Central African Republic, Kenya and South Sudan.
Last month, Nicholas Aru Maan – co-founder of SSYPADO, a partner of Aegis in South Sudan – visited the Aegis team in Newark and gave a short on-camera interview about the impact of the partnership. “Aegis Trust has been the force behind our continued hope for peace-building in South Sudan,” he says, describing how South Sudanese chiefs inspired by Aegis’ work in Rwanda have helped reduce armed conflict at home. “Lives have been saved,” he says, “and that is a preventive measure.”
“We’re thrilled to see a White Rose shop opening here,” says Marina Smith MBE, President of the Aegis Trust Friends League Nottinghamshire and co-founder of the National Holocaust Centre, who will be cutting the ribbon on Saturday morning. “We’re sure the people of Newark will love the great product they have to offer, and we’d really encourage everyone to get involved – whether by joining in as a much-needed volunteer, by shopping, or by donating clothing and accessories. The support you give will be helping Aegis save many lives.”
