Charity shop seeking mystery donor of 'substantial' camera collection

THE manager of a charity shop is attempting to trace a man who donated his late father's camera collection after it raised a “substantial” amount for the organisation.

The man, who did not give his name or contact details, visited Barnardo's in Totton on 16th January to drop off around 25 photography items, including cameras and lenses.

Manager Nicola Desty was not working that day, but told the A&T that as soon as she saw the collection she knew it would be better to sell the items via the charity's eBay site, rather than in-store.

She said: “We do get a lot of amazing things but this was a real surprise. I think the owner was a very keen photographer, it's a lifetime collection.”

While she is reluctant to give away a figure until she has been able to trace the former owner’s family, Nicola said: “They exceeded what I imagined, it was substantial. There are just a few items left to sell, but once they have, I want to add it all up and say ‘thank you so much’.

“I have no idea if the man or his family are local, but it would mean a lot to let them know that this act of kindness will go towards supporting the work of Barnardo’s.”

Nicola is also not releasing any further information about the collection, such as the makes and models of the equipment, so she can ensure she speaks to the correct family, if traced.

If anyone knows the man or the family who donated the equipment, contact Barnardo’s on 023 8066 0571 or search for ‘Barnardos Totton’ on Facebook.