THE RATHMINES BRANCH of Barnardos charity shops is trying to make contact with a woman who recently donated curtains in which a quantity of cash was later discovered.

The item was donated to the shop on the Lower Rathmines Road at around 1.30pm on Wednesday 30 May.

“We feel that she probably didn’t even know that the cash was pinned inside the curtains,” said manager of the six Barnardos shops Colette Miller. ”We want to let her know that we found it and ask her to get in touch with us.”

Barnardos said that the donation was unusual because the curtains were donated on their own; often people donate items after clearing out their homes and have a number of items they want to get rid of.

People regularly leave small amounts of cash in clothes donated to the shops, but rarely anything so large.

“Over the years we’ve had some unusual items donated to us, from much sought-after Claris Cliff art deco crockery to engagement rings, a jacket worn by Colm Meaney in the film Into the West – and even grass cuttings,” said Colette Miller.

The Rathmines branch can be contacted on 01 4974717. Staff at the branch say they know who donated the curtains and will be able to identify the woman if she returns to the shop.

The charity shops accept donations for a range of reusable items in good condition such as clothing, soft furnishing, handbags, CDs and DVDs. The organisation says that although demand for second-hand items on sale in their shops is increasing, the level of donations has been falling.

- Additional reporting by Christine Bohan