Okehampton shoppers are turning to charity shop clothes rails this Christmas as the cost of living crisis continues to eat away at people’s pockets.

Okehampton’s Fore Street charity shops Children’s Hospice South West, Oxfam and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) all reported seeing a rise in the number of customers and an increase in sales.

BHF volunteer Mark Betambeau also added that he had seen more customers come in looking for good quality used winter clothing during his shifts.

Mr Betambeau said: ‘My personal experience is that things are brisk and we have been since the cost of living crisis has taken hold. There have been more and more people looking for good quality used clothes and Christmas presents and that has helped us a great deal.’

However, some charity shops are also suffering from a lack of donations at the same time as selling more items.

The store manager of Okehampton’s Children’s Hospice South West said that this was the case for the Okehampton branch as volunteers had noticed a decline in the number of donations to the shop this year.

She added: ‘We are seeing a lot more people coming in and fewer donations. We are normally inundated with winter clothes at this time of year but this year a lot more people are holding onto stuff.’

Oxfam store manager Jasmin Shelley added that the charity shop customers were spending less on average but that the shop’s Christmas stock was selling fast, along with the items on sale, as more and more people were starting to find ways to celebrate the festive season as cheaply as possible.

She added: ‘It is Christmas time and we are doing pretty well. We are having the same level of donations but more people coming in but spending less on average. Of course, we always welcome donations and are very friendly and happy to see new customers.’

The ever-increasing number of charity shop customers has also coincided with the opening of the railway last year, which Ms Shelley said has been very good for charity shop business as visitors to the town have started to shop in the store.

Residents are continuing to feel the pinch with the ongoing cost of living crisis and community groups across Okehampton have rallied together to support those struggling the most.

Groups such as Okehampton Community Kitchen and Okehampton Foodbank having upped their game to ensure all residents have enough healthy and nutritious food to eat without busting the bank.

This Christmas, the Okehampton Community Kitchen is organising a wide range of Christmas activities at the Ockment Centre from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day for those who may otherwise struggle or be alone this Christmas.

The three day event, organised by Rebecca Green, the proprietor of cafe 3 East Street and an Okehampton Community Kitchen volunteer, will include Christmas food, music and games for all ages.

Other organisations across the town including the library, the London Inn, the Ockment Centre and most recently, the Wellbeing Cafe on St James Street have all offered their premises as warm spaces for people unable to afford to heat their own home as a result of soaring energy bills.

The library and the London Inn are also offering free teas and coffees to those using the space.