• AFTER finding a lovely handbag in a charity shop, I calculated that as I spent £4 there and am registered for Gift Aid, the charity benefits by £1 + £4. But I decided the bag was not my style, so I took it back for resale.

Assuming it was then resold for £4, this, with Gift Aid, gives the charity a further £5. Result: £10 to the charity at a cost to me of £4. This seems too good to be true, and should send us all rushing to spend.

I guess there must be a flaw in my maths – but I will continue to have fun from finding treasures in the shops.

RACHEL COTTRELL
Address supplied