Key Points
- Community Initiative Launched: Deborah McDonald, owner of local florist Floral Fusion in Westhoughton, has set up a bra bank collection point inside her shop to support women in need and raise vital charity funds.
- Dual Purpose: The project redistributes wearable, good-quality bras to women who cannot afford new garments, whilst recycling damaged or heavily worn items.
- Fundraising for Bolton Hospice: For every kilogram of bras collected, 50p is donated directly to Bolton Hospice, a charity selected personally by Mrs McDonald.
- Family Cancer Battles: The initiative was inspired by a series of severe cancer diagnoses affecting her closest family members within a short timeframe.
- Impacted Relatives: Her father, Brian Durkin, received a terminal cancer diagnosis in June 2023; just two days later, her daughter, Rachel Catherall, was diagnosed with bowel cancer; and in April 2024, her husband, Lee McDonald, was diagnosed with a rare leukaemia known as Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukaemia (CMML).
- Location and Access: Local residents can donate unwanted bras by dropping them into the designated collection box at Floral Fusion, located at 47 Market Street, Westhoughton.
Westhoughton (Bolton Today) July 24, 2026 — A local business owner in Westhoughton whose immediate family has been hit by multiple devastating cancer diagnoses has launched a community bra bank inside her shop to provide essential clothing to disadvantaged women whilst raising crucial funds for hospice care.
Deborah McDonald, who owns and operates the Floral Fusion shop on Market Street, has formally partnered with a recycling initiative to serve as a public collection hub. Under the scheme, members of the public are invited to deposit unwanted, pre-loved, or spare bras into a dedicated donation box situated directly inside the store. The dual-purpose project ensures that gently used bras in good condition are redistributed to women who face financial hardship and cannot afford to purchase new underwear, whilst items that are worn out or damaged are directed into textile recycling streams to prevent landfill waste.
In addition to providing functional clothing to women in need, the scheme yields financial benefits for local palliative care. For every single kilogram of bras collected through the in-store bank, a donation of 50p is generated for a designated charitable organization. Mrs McDonald selected Bolton Hospice as the sole beneficiary of these proceeds, ensuring that all funds raised directly support local families facing end-of-life care and serious health conditions.
What Motivated the Westhoughton Business Owner to Launch the Scheme?
The drive behind the initiative stems from an exceptionally challenging period for Mrs McDonald's immediate family, marked by a succession of serious medical diagnoses over the past three years.
As reported by Trainee Reporter Maddie Avery of The Bolton News, the family’s ordeal began in June 2023 when Mrs McDonald’s father, Brian Durkin, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Just two days after receiving her father’s devastating prognosis, tragedy struck the family again when her daughter, Rachel Catherall, was admitted to hospital and subsequently diagnosed with bowel cancer.
The hardship continued into the following year. As detailed by Maddie Avery of The Bolton News, Mrs McDonald's husband, Lee McDonald, was diagnosed in April with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukaemia (CMML), an exceptionally rare form of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow.
Despite the profound emotional burden caused by these consecutive diagnoses within her household, Mrs McDonald maintained a focus on supporting others across the borough who are navigating similar medical or personal crises.
As reported by Maddie Avery of The Bolton News, Deborah McDonald explained her decision to host the drop-off box, stating:
“There are a lot of ladies that are less fortunate than ourselves so I signed up and have the box in our shop where ladies can come in and donate.”
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How Does the Bra Bank Support Both Local Women and Bolton Hospice?
The bra bank acts as both a practical resource for socio-economically disadvantaged women and a continuous fundraising stream for specialized local health services.
Underwear is widely recognized by charitable organizations as one of the least donated yet most urgently required clothing items for women experiencing poverty, homelessness, or domestic displacement. By offering a discreet drop-off location on the high street, the initiative makes it straightforward for local residents to donate items they no longer require.
Simultaneously, the monetary return from the collection weight provides consistent financial support to Bolton Hospice. Palliative and end-of-life care facilities across the United Kingdom rely heavily on voluntary contributions and community fundraising to maintain their daily healthcare operations and patient services.
Addressing the financial aspect of the weight-based donation system, Maddie Avery of The Bolton News quoted Deborah McDonald as stating:
“It's not a lot but as we all know with cancer every penny counts.”
Highlighting her ongoing dedication to community welfare despite her family's personal circumstances, Mrs McDonald expressed her desire to ensure local support structures remain resilient for everyone in the area. As reported by Maddie Avery of The Bolton News, Deborah McDonald stated:
“I always try to give a little bit back to the community – it's just something else we can help with.”
Where Can Local Residents Donate Their Unwanted Bras?
The collection point is fully operational and open to all members of the public during standard business hours.
To participate in the scheme, residents can bring clean, unwanted bras directly to the Floral Fusion shopfront, situated at 47 Market Street, Westhoughton. The collection box is positioned inside the store to allow customers, shoppers, and passers-by to make quick, hassle-free drop-offs.
Organizers encourage the donation of items in all conditions, as good-quality garments will be sorted for direct reuse by women in need, while worn or damaged items will be processed through textile recycling channels to ensure no material goes to waste while still contributing to the overall weight quota for Bolton Hospice.