Star quality handbags to boost charity’s coffers

While some have a handbag and keep it for years, using it for every conceivable occasion, others are self-confessed addicts, rivalling Filipino first lady Imelda Marcos’ love for shoes.

Although Eileen Harrington counts herself in the former camp, professing a “total disinterest” in fashion handbags, she hopes the passion of others will help her raise thousands for a worthy cause.

As a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Society, Mrs Harrington, of Doncaster, hit on the idea of staging a handbag sale to help to boost funds.

She then realised that the total would be boosted further if she could persuade some female celebrities to part with their cherished bags, which could then be sold under the hammer.

Mrs Harrington, whose late husband Donald suffered with Alzheimer’s for several years, set about writing letters and making phone calls to explain her quest to the stars’ agents.

While some were what she described as “less than helpful” in their responses, others have entered into the spirit of the appeal, with some sending more than one bag from their extensive collections.

Mrs Harrington, 67, said: “When I first had the idea I couldn’t believe nobody had thought of it before me. I asked as many people as I could to donate bags and ended up with about 500 in the house.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first started approaching celebrities, because you can’t contact them direct, and some of their agents and staff were so helpful while others were less so.

“But some of the letters I have received have been fantastic, and I asked each one to authenticate their bag in some way, either with a letter or a photograph, which they have done.”

One well-known woman who responded in person was Deborah, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, who has donated a vintage Dior clutch bag thought to date from 1953.

The Duchess even sent Mrs Harrington some 1950s stamps which were found in the same drawer as the bag at Chatsworth, explaining in a hand-written note that the bag had never been used, and had probably lain undisturbed for half a century.

As well receiving as the bags from celebrities, Mrs Harrington, had a stroke of luck when one of her three daughters, who lives in Paris, mentioned her idea at a mother’s group she attends in the French capital.

She said: “One of the women who knows my daughter happened to work for Chanel, and she invited me to the head office when I was visiting Paris and donated a vintage Chanel handbag.”

Mrs Harrington has been a tireless campaigner for the Doncaster branch of the Alzheimer’s Society since her husband was diagnosed with the condition, which robs people of their memory.

The retired teacher said before his death, her husband had been “difficult” to deal with, being violent and leaving her with physical injuries.

She added: “When Donald died I suffered a series of problems, including getting skin cancer on my face and other illnesses, but I still wanted to help raise money to help others in the same situation.

“I have been chairman of the society’s committee and I am the chairman of the Doncaster Dementia Forum which is a link between patients and their families and the health authorities.

“I have got another fund-raising idea for next year, but I don’t want to tell anyone what it is yet in case they steal my thunder.”

Each year Mrs Harrington also holds a garden party for the cause, which raises around £3,000 and will attend Buckingham Palace later this year to receive an award for her commitment to her charity work.

But the grandmother-of-six modestly said she did not organise events to receive plaudits but to raise money for research and to help those affected by the disease.

She added: “Obviously it is lovely to be given the opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace, but I didn’t even know I had been nominated and it won’t change anything.

“I shall carry on as I always have, making teas and fund-raising.”

UNDER HAMMER AT HOLIDAY INN

The celebrity handbag sale will take place from 6.30pm on November 3 at Doncaster’s Holiday Inn hotel in Warmsworth.

Bags owned by Deborah, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Twiggy, Esther Rantzen, Arlene Phillips, Maureen Lipman, Lesley Garrett, June Whitfield and Doncaster MP Rosie Winterton will be under the hammer.

Other handbags will not be auctioned, but placed on general sale on the night.

Tickets, which cost £10 to include entrance, auction catalogue and Bucks Fizz are available at Doncaster Tourist Information office or from the office of the Doncaster and Rotherham Alzheimer’s Society on 01709 580543.