Retail Therapy

LILLYWHITES of Piccadilly has launched a Sports Ordering Service. It will endeavour to get hold of sporting items that are out of stock and claims to be able to order anything from an elephant saddle to a mini-submarine.

Lillywhites, Piccadilly, London SW1 (071-930 3181).

IF there is still a stigma attached to buying clothes from charity shops, then the Cancer Research campaign hopes to dispel it. It is putting on a fashion show with a difference, featuring clothes for men, women and children from 26 of its shops in the North-west. Labels on show will include Frank Usher, Jaegar, Jacques Vert, Alexon, Berkatex and Betty Barclay. After the show the clothes will be sold off. Prices will range from around pounds 5 for a blouse to, say, pounds 40 for an immaculate Mansfield suit.

Fashion Show at the Grosvenor Hotel in Chester tomorrow at 7pm. There will be no tickets available at the door, but there is a chance of obtaining a return ticket at pounds 5 today from the appeals organiser, Jill Knight (0244 348891).

IF you'd like to be able to do more than thread a needle, go along to the Creative Stitches Exhibition in Brighton next weekend where displays of sewing accessories, embroidery, lace-making and patchwork or quilting will be on show. There will be workshops and demonstrations on soft furnishing, silk painting, teddy-bear making and Japanese braid making. There will also be plenty of items for sale.

Creative Stitches Exhibition at the Brighton Centre, Brighton, 5-7 February, 9.30am-5.30pm. Door prices: adults, pounds 4; senior citizens, pounds 3; children (7-16), 90p.