If you love op-shopping, save the date for a very special op-shop experience in Dubbo next month that supports a very good cause with a far-reaching impact.

The Burrabadine Christian Community School fundraising committee will hold a Pop-Up Op-Shop at Orana Baptist Church on Saturday, August 29.

A fundraiser for the small independent school just outside Dubbo, which has just 240 students, the event will kick off at 9am and runs all day until 4pm, fundraising committee president Salenia Buckler told Dubbo Photo News.

Funds raised from the event will support community outreach by Burrabadine’s Year 10 students during their forthcoming mission visit to Vanuatu.

The trip is already funded, but the fundraising committee wants to raise funds to support the Vanuatuan school and community the Burrabadine students will be visiting.

“We really wanted to make some extra money so that we could bless the school that we'll be visiting in Vanuatu with some things like water filters and toilets,” Salenia explained.

“This is so that our school group has some money and options when they get over there; they can see what needs to be purchased in Vanuatu and help the community.”

Readers may recall the small island nation of Vanuatu has suffered several natural disasters in recent years, including a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in December 2024, and three devastating cyclones in 2023.

After announcing the Pop-Up Op-Shop on social media earlier this month, Salenia said the fundraising committee has been overwhelmed by the response.

“We've had so many people choose to donate their belongings to us, which is absolutely fantastic,” she said.

“I've collected quite a bit and had a few bags dropped off at my house, and we've still got people saying they're going through their stuff over the school holidays. It's just been wonderful.”

With a number of existing op-shops in the region not accepting donations at present, Burrabadine’s fundraising committee will happily take donated items for their one-day-only Pop-Up Op-Shop.

If readers have clothing, toys, books, household items, bric-a-brac or other items they would normally donate to a bricks and mortar op-shop, consider supporting the school and sending those items their way.

There’s no cut-off date to donate, Salenia said – the fundraising committee are happy to take donations right up until the event, and any brought along to Orana Baptist Church on Saturday, August 29.

Further supporting its Christian ethos, the Burrabadine Pop-Up Op-Shop will continue to pay it forward, Salenia said.

“If there are any items left over from our sale, we will give them to the Girls Brigade in Dubbo who will also have a [fundraising] sale in September,” she explained.

Dedicated op-shopping can be hungry work, but the school will have it covered on the day, with cold drinks, tea, coffee and hot chocolate for sale, as well as delicious sausage sandwiches.

Salenia and fundraising committee members Anna Forrester, Michelle Horsburgh, Jessica O’Brien, Shino Kemp, Jessica Seve, Rebecca Fowler, and Natasha Fitzgerald are gearing up for what they hope will be a successful sale.

“I just want to give a shout out to everybody in the committee, everyone who comes along to meetings and who helps out with fundraising, and to the children of the school, because they're always the first put their hands up to help with anything that we're doing, which is absolutely wonderful,” Salenia concluded.

Readers wishing to donate items can contact Salenia Buckler on 0475 032 387.