Caroline Jones (fundraiser)

Caroline Jones
Jones in 2019
Born1968 (age 57–58)
Chester, Cheshire, England
OccupationDesign agency
Known forRaising money for Cancer Research UK after the death of her mother

Caroline Jones (born 1968)[1] is an English charity fundraiser from Chester. She started volunteering for Cancer Research UK as a window dresser in Harpenden shortly after her mother died of cancer in 2014. She received the UK's Points of Light award in 2015 for her work wearing different second-hand clothes every day of that year.

Life and her mother's death

Caroline Jones was born in Chester, Cheshire, in 1968. She started volunteering in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, at a Cancer Research UK charity shop as a window dresser (where she arranged donations shown on display windows) shortly after her mother Mary Benson, aged 72, died of breast cancer in October 2014.[2] At the time of her death, Benson had been a Cancer Research volunteer for thirteen years.[3] Jones established Knickers Model's Own in 2015 to commemorate her mother's death and to financially support Cancer Research UK.[1][4] The name signifies that she still buys new knickers (a type of women's underwear).[4]

Fundraising

Jones is known for buying second-hand clothes from charity shops. She almost never buys new clothes except for underwear. Between 1 January and 31 December 2015, she posted pictures of herself wearing second-hand charity clothes every day on social media.[5][6] She initially projected that she would raise £1,000 in a year. However, it went well over her expectations. Therefore, she raised the target to £36,500 in June 2015 after earning over £11,000 in the first five months. In the end, she raised more than £43,500 in 2015, £7,000 over her June predictions.[6]

She received a Points of Light award on 31 December 2015 from then prime minister David Cameron for her charity shop challenge. He said that "Caroline has come up with an innovative way to pay tribute to her mother and raise a fantastic amount of money for charity". In addition to raising money for Cancer Research UK, "Caroline has [also] helped raise awareness of the benefits of shopping in charity shops and that with a little styling outfits can be ethical and fashionable"[6][7] She responded to the award saying it was "a huge honour", which was "a wonderful way to end [...] the hardest and the most rewarding year of my life".[7]

She restarted the challenge a decade later in 2025, this time, posting new pictures with the corresponding one from 2015.[8] She was invited to a Buckingham Palace reception for cancer charities on 30 April 2025 for her fundraising support where she met the King while wearing an £8.50 dress.[3][1] She said that the 2025 version was a "year of joy".[8] As of August 2025, she worked for a design agency.[1]

American Hollywood star Courteney Cox has gifted Jones a Yves Saint Laurent bag in late 2025. Cox said that she finds the fundraising campaign "incredible" and "would like to be a part of it".[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hoggard, Liz (11 July 2025). "'I wore an £8.50 dress to meet the King'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  2. ^ Cocozza, Paula (21 February 2015). "My fashion tribute to my mother". The Guardian.
  3. ^ a b "Charity shopper's £22.50 outfit for Buckingham Palace trip". BBC News. 3 May 2025. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Knickers Model's Own: Charity shop challenge returns 10 years on". BBC News. 1 January 2025.
  5. ^ Isaac, Anna (21 December 2015). "Knickers Model's Own: a testament to solo fundraising". The Guardian.
  6. ^ a b c "Knickers Model's Own: Year of charity clothes goes 'out with a bang'". BBC News. 31 December 2015. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b McBride, Jake (31 December 2015). "Charity shop challenge". Points of Light. Archived from the original on 14 December 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b "King Charles and Courteney Cox among highlights for fashion challenge". BBC News. 31 December 2025. Archived from the original on 31 December 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Friends star Courteney Cox donates bag to Harpenden campaigner". BBC News. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
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