Charity shops in London?

when I lived there all the charities sold their own Christmas cards. There were a couple of locations (Royal Academy was one) where quite a few got togther. Not sure if you will make it in time

Charity shops in the UK tend to be charity specific. Every high street will have one, two, or many charity shops. Frequently seen are Heart, Kidney, Mental, Oxfam, Alzheimers and Cancer (sometimes specific cancers). London is loaded with them. Every £Pound counts. Most Brits make many small contributions to charity unlike larger one time donations in the US. Thanks for the question - its really valuable.

Only about a zillion. There's one about at the SE corner of the British Museum and a couple more betwen there and the Covent Garden tube station, but maybe a block to either side of a direct walking route. The biggest cluster is probably south of Victoria station -- just to the west on Warwick (Way?) off of the Vauxhall Bridge Road. I have no idea what they're like inside since my wife plops me at a beer counter and comes and fetches me when she's done - - they must be okay since she spends hours and comes out with sacks which I'm afraid to peek in.

As other people have said they are all over the place. My local high street has 6 charity shops! There are also some specialist ones, e.g. Oxfam has some that sell designer clothes: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/content/secondhandstore/fashion/boutiques/default.html?ito=3658&itc=0

Ed, I loved your answer. How funny. I'm with your wife. Maybe I better take a 2nd suitcase. I am excited about so many charity shops. Is a 'high street" what we call a main street in the USA? So I'm thinking I will run into charity shops along many busy streets in London. I can hardly wait.

Apparently our British friends have called it a night, so I'll take a stab at the high street business. And am ready to be unscrewed when they drag their tails out of bed. In my mind, a direct translation dosn't work out. A village will have a high street, but it's just the main street with some other name (sometimes), not High Street. Some smaller cities will have a high street, and probably just one. Larger cities have a bunch of areas/neighborhoods and each of these might have what the people call the high street. I spend more time in the UK than I should, but sometimes the language barrier brings me to my knees.

" Is a 'high street" what we call a main street in the USA?" Yes

Ed, you cheeky chappie.... Tail still firmly not in bed. Only because I am trying completely unsuccessfully to watch the bally cricket. Still, I like your answer better than mine. Well put. Sometimes its a High Street, often its the high street called by a completely different name. Anyway its where the shops are. Nighty Night.

I too am waiting for the cricket to start (played in Australia I hasten to add!). The bonus, apart from England getting the upper hand for once, is looking at the warm sunshine. It is b***** cold here at the moment. Good reply Ed. Like "Main Street" it is also a concept (is that the word I want?) eg "High St fashion" or "High St prices" etc etc.