Thread Together opens Lismore Clothing Hub at showgrounds after flood

A charity is set to open a hub at Lismore Showgrounds offering new clothes for people impacted by the recent devastating floods free of charge.

Thread Together founder Andie Halas and the charity's CEO Anthony Chesler have set up the Lismore Clothing Hub at the Lismore Showgrounds.

A permanent clothing hub will open at Lismore Showgrounds this week to give people impacted by devastating flooding access to new clothes.

People will have access to new menswear, womenswear, shoes and accessories and a wide selection of childrenswear from 10am Wednesday at no cost.

They will be able to select from a range including socks, underwear, pyjamas, activewear and even coats and boots from an extensive range of well-known brands.

New underwear is available at the Lismore Clothing Hub that has been set up at the Lismore Showgrounds.

The hub has been launched by Thread Together, a charity which collects excess clothing from designers, manufacturers and retailers and distributes it to people in need.

The charity’s recent work includes support of fire-ravaged communities along the NSW south coast, where it set up shop for two years after the disaster to give people ongoing help.

Thread Together CEO Anthony Chelser said the Lismore hub would be the largest the charity had set up and had been made possible with the support of Lismore councillor Andrew Gordon and Lismore MP Janelle Saffin.

A range of women's clothing is available at the Lismore Clothing Hub that has been set up at the Lismore Showgrounds.

“Thread Together has been inundated with requests for clothing in all flood affected areas and while we have been working with our charity partners and individuals, it soon became apparent that a permanent Clothing Hub was required in the Lismore region,” Mr Chesler said.

“This Clothing Hub will help people who have lost everything, to importantly, give them choice to access new clothing and to assist in restoring their dignity.”

The initial delivery will include thousands of clothing items, accessories and shoes.

Shoes and socks are available at the Lismore Clothing Hub that has been set up at the Lismore Showgrounds.

One of the key categories is underwear and socks which, unlike second-hand donations, must be new.

Mr Chesler said brand new clothing provided dignity at a time of great fear and loss.

Thread Together’s corporate sponsor Toll will be shipping the clothing to the region weekly.

The inventory will be updated weekly based on feedback as well as the demand for the required categories and sizes.

A range of new clothing is available for people to collect from the Lismore Clothing Hub that has been set up at the Lismore Showgrounds.

Commonwealth Bank has contributed an additional $100,000 donation directly which will assist Thread Together in setting up the Lismore Clothing Hub.

Thread Together has been able to work collaboratively with local councils to provide a key role in emergency services, from relief during increased levels of unemployment during Covid, to support after fire and flood.

“We know this natural disaster relief will be larger than the demand we had from the 2019/20 bushfires,” Mr Chesler said.

The hub has been created at Norma’s Kitchen, underneath the Members Stand just inside the gates of the showgrounds.