Work in charity retail? Then you probably wear 1,000 hats. On your to do list are shop visits, board papers, risk assessments, staffing challenges, listings on eBay and Vinted – and that’s just today. By the time that brilliant article lands in your inbox or that webinar invite pops up, you simply don’t have the headspace.

That reality felt very familiar to Ross Henderson, Director of Income Generation & Digital at Nottinghamshire Hospice. During a Zoom call with The Charity Retail Consultancy, he said something simple but powerful: Start a podcast. A way for busy charity retailers to learn on the go, on the commute, between shop visits, while steaming stock in the back room, while listing online.

So we did…

The Vision

Charity Shop Chat was created to celebrate the sector properly. Not as a side note to fundraising. Not as an afterthought to strategy. But as a powerful, mission driven income engine in its own right.

We wanted to spotlight the unsung heroes of charity retail. The shop managers who know every regular by name. The volunteers who wash and mend donated clothing at home. The team members counting puzzle pieces at 9pm. The eBay listers researching the weird and wonderful to get the description just right.

Retail is not secondary, it’s strategic – and in a climate where unrestricted income matters more than ever, that conversation cannot stay in the background any longer.

From Idea to Launch

It took five months of planning, countless road trips across the UK and plenty of trial and error. We recorded in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds and Swansea and heard an incredible array of voices.

The hosts? The Charity Retail Consultancy’s very own Charlotte Greenwood and Mimi Cartwright. Charlotte is a charity retail leader, consultant and advocate for purpose led retail. With over 20 years of experience across commercial and charity sectors, she champions the balance of mission and margin, helping charities maximise income while staying rooted in social impact. She is also an Equity Diversity and Inclusion advocate committed to raising allyship across the sector.

Mimi brings fresh energy and next generation perspective to the podcast. Passionate about sustainability, social justice and community, she represents the evolving face of charity retail having both volunteered and worked in charity shops, including the Choose Love shop on London’s famous Regent Street. Her curiosity and inclusive storytelling ensure Charity Shop Chat feels modern and connected to emerging audiences.

That energy set the tone from day one. When we launched in February, we wanted our very first guest to reflect that forward-thinking approach. BeckysBazaar, who some may recognise from Channel 4’s Can You Make £10k in 10 Days? with Scarlett Moffatt, shared why charity shops must embrace social media to stay relevant, how pricing feels from a shopper’s perspective, and the emergence of WhatNot as an online selling tool.

More Episodes Every Wednesday

We already have three full episodes available now with even more incredible episodes on the way. Natasha Morosini from St George’s Crypt opens up about their partnership with HMP New Hall to upcycle furniture, creating second chances for both products and people. Daniel Franzmann from Fight for Sight highlights how Instagram can be used to grow volunteers. Steph Edusei talks about why Heads of Retail can be overlooked for Director of Income Generation roles, and shop managers Nicola Dodge and Roxanne Randel from St Raphael’s Hospice talk about why hospice shops are so beloved in the community. And that’s not even the final list – we’re only just getting started!

Why It Matters

Charity Shop Chat is shining the spotlight on why charity retail is more than just racks and rails. It’s the circular economy in action. It’s local community hubs. It’s skills development, volunteering, sustainability and vital unrestricted income. And in a climate where funding is tight and expectations are high, retail is not optional. It is essential.

We wanted to give charity retailers the microphone – to challenge assumptions, raise standards, share practical tools, inspire ideas. If you care about the future of charity retail, this is your space.

Listen 24/7 with new episodes dropping every Wednesday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. Share with your thrifty friends, colleagues and supporters, and leave us a review. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @charityshopchat

Because charity shops are full of stories that deserve to be told and we love sharing them with you.

About The Charity Retail Consultancy

Behind the microphone sits the wider work of The Charity Retail Consultancy, a specialist advisory service supporting charities to grow, strengthen and futureproof their retail operations. From retail strategy and trading board development to digital growth, Gift Aid optimisation, mystery shopping and leadership coaching, the consultancy works alongside charity teams to balance mission and margin and unlock sustainable unrestricted income.

Alongside this, Charity Retail Learning provides accessible online training and practical resources designed specifically for charity retail teams. Charity Shop Chat is a natural extension of that work, sharing insight, raising standards and creating space for sector wide learning.

More About Us

At this time of year, you can sometimes find yourself with a bit of money left in your expenditure budgets.

Well, here’s the good news. We have a way that you can put that underspend to good use – and will reap rewards for you well into the future.

With over 4,300 total learners benefiting from Charity Retail Learning courses in 2025, why not follow their lead and join the Charity Retail Learning family in 2026?

We can be flexible with payments too, so if you want to use up that spare budget now, but you’re not ready to go ahead with the learning yet, that’s no problem – we’ll work with you to fit your timetable.

Click here to view our course catalogue

Invest in your team

Investing in your team is always a good move. Motivating, upskilling, valuing and supporting staff and volunteers through training opportunities is a massive factor in any charity retailer’s success. And Charity Retail Learning can help provide you with all of that.

Here’s how:

• All our content is completely focused on charity retail – 100% of our learners’ feedback says the courses are relevant for their role
• Our team support you every step of the way, making signing up and managing your team’s training quick and easy
• It’s simple to access, with our click-through courses all accessible from a laptop, tablet or phone
• Our Subscription offer gives your whole team of staff and volunteers access to all of our content at a massive discount
• Individual courses start at just £25 plus VAT, making them affordable for every charity.
• We provide reports for you to see how your team is progressing – and certificates for every learner when they pass their course
• Because we’re a partnership between The Charity Retail Academy and the Charity Retail Association, a proportion of every sale goes back to the CRA, helping to support our sector into the future

Teams love our courses!

We’ve supported thousands of charity retailers through their learning with us. Here’s what some of them have to say:

“This is a very informative course, and even though I’ve been involved with Gift Aid for some time I learnt some golden nuggets of information. The pitch and pace were excellent”

“Tutor was amazing – didn’t bombard me with info but made sure I knew all the relevant stuff – and also gave me a chance to do exercises based on my own shop”

“This course is so informative, gives a clear overview, offers best practice, and really gets you thinking differently about how to approach your work.”

“We’ve been signed up to the Charity Retail Learning Modules for over a year, and all our retail staff have access to learn and develop at their own pace and in a style that suits them. This has been monumental in our succession planning and self-development strategy. These resources have empowered our team and contributed significantly to our success.”

Keeping it simple 

Because we’re charity retailers, we understand the challenges and restrictions you can face in so many areas of your work. So we’ve designed our services to be as easy as possible for everyone involved.

Whether you’re a Head of Retail wanting to upskill your team, a Learning & Development lead looking for relevant and great value training, or a Shop Manager taking a course in the back room of your shop – you can relax and let us sort it all out for you.

Buy now and save!

We’re increasing our prices from April 1^st – so if you want to get on board, book now and secure this year’s prices for the duration of your subscription. That means you can secure those savings for up to three years!

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

At The Charity Retail Consultancy, we’re passionate about helping charity retailers achieve sustainable growth, stronger teams, and lasting community impact. We’re delighted to welcome Charlotte Greenwood as our newest Associate – bringing her vast retail expertise and people-first leadership to support charities of all sizes. Charlotte combines a deep understanding of commercial success with a heartfelt belief in the power of purpose. Her goal? To help your retail teams feel empowered, efficient, and inspired to deliver more for your cause.

How Charlotte Can Help Your Charity Grow

Charlotte offers tailored, practical support to strengthen your retail operation, whether you’re looking to refresh your shop network, improve efficiency, or upskill your team.

Strategic and Operational Support

• ✅ Interim Head/Director of Retail roles
• ✅ Retail chain reviews and performance audits
• ✅ Business cases for new shops or warehouse moves
• ✅ Creation of management information packs to track KPIs

Digital and Commercial Optimisation

• ✅ eCommerce assessments and online growth strategies
• ✅ New goods processes, sourcing and financial reporting support
• ✅ Gift Aid training and mystery shops

People and Performance

• ✅ Myers Briggs (MBTI) training for conflict resolution, change management and communication
• ✅ Leadership and coaching for retail management teams

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)

• ✅ Data capture and analysis to understand your charity’s culture
• ✅ Strategy writing and EDI forum implementation
• ✅ Bespoke training to embed inclusive, values-led practices

Supporting Charities Across the South & South East

Charlotte is based in Hertfordshire and can travel throughout the South and South East, but can also support all charities online. Whether you’re a small local hospice or a large national charity, Charlotte and our team can provide the experience, insight, and encouragement to help you succeed. Our consultancy’s approach is collaborative and hands-on. We listen, we guide, and we tailor our support to your unique goals and challenges.

Meet Charlotte Greenwood

With over 20 years of experience in retail, Charlotte has built a career defined by curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. She began her journey in Merchandising, working with major retailers including Tesco and Figleaves, as well as retail accounts at iconic brands such as Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney and Tommy Hilfiger, where she honed her expertise in data-led decision-making, buying, and multi-channel strategy.

After two decades in the commercial world, Charlotte took her knowledge into the charity sector, where she found her true purpose – helping charity shops combine mission with margin. As Head of Retail & Marketing at Isabel Hospice, Charlotte led a vibrant retail network of 17 shops, multiple eCommerce platforms, and a central warehouse and donation centre. She delivered award-winning results, all while keeping sustainability and inclusion at the heart of her strategy.

Highlights & Achievements:

• CRA Leadership Award 2023
• eBay Social Value Award
• BBC & Heart Radio Hertfordshire Heroes Green Award
• Board Director for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Charity Retail Association
• Finalist for the CRA’s Outstanding Charity Retailer and EDI Awards

“I believe in bringing commercial insight to charity retail while keeping people and purpose at the heart of everything we do.”
— Charlotte Greenwood

Ready to Strengthen Your Retail Impact?

We’d love to work with you to take your charity retail to the next level so get in touch!
Email us: hello@thecharityretailconsultancy.co.uk
Visit: www.thecharityretailconsultancy.co.uk
Connect with Charlotte: www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-greenwood-43951234

More About Us

Charity retailers face rising costs, recruitment struggles, declining rag prices, and excess stock of poor-quality donations… but every challenge brings a chance to innovate. Charity retailers still have an exciting opportunity to boost income through Gift Aid. With the right training, your teams can turn everyday donations into powerful extra revenue.

Gift Aid First Aid – A Proven Boost

Launched in summer 2025, our Gift Aid First Aid programme has delivered immediate impact:

• 42% increase in Gift Aid conversion rates
• Nearly doubled sign-up rates
• Energised staff and volunteers inspired to ask every donor, every time

This isn’t just training – it’s a transformation. Your teams leave with confidence, skills, and real-world tactics they can put into practice the very next day.

Mystery Shops – Real Insights, Real Change

Our bespoke Gift Aid mystery shop visits give tangible feedback on how your stores engage donors. It’s a chance to see through your customers’ eyes and inspire your team with practical ways to improve. The result? Stronger conversations, more Gift Aid sign-ups, and greater long-term income.

The Impact – Measurable and Motivating

Since completing our training, one charity grew from just 4% to 33% of weekly sales through Gift Aid. Across 10 shops, teams are now signing up 50–80 new donors every week. Staff describe being refreshed, re-energised, and excited to take Gift Aid to the next level.

The Prince of Wales Hospice also shared: “The team implemented new tips straight away. Volunteers are re-asking donors and seeing results in areas we thought were exhausted. Gift Aid is growing again – and it feels achievable.”

Invest in Growth – Training That Pays for Itself

– Full-day Gift Aid First Aid session: £950 + VAT (up to 25 staff)

– Mystery shops: £600 + VAT per day (average 5–10 shops, dependent on proximity)

– Travel costs may also apply

With the additional Gift Aid income unlocked, these sessions quickly pay for themselves many times over.

One charity spent just over £2,000 on training and Mystery shops and saw their Gift Aid sales increase by £12,000 in just 4 weeks, so a very healthy return on investment.

Flexible Learning for Every Team

Charity Retail Learning also offers online Gift Aid courses, volunteer-friendly modules, and webinars for retail leads and back-office teams. If you’re already a CRL subscriber, these are free for your teams. If you’re not a subscriber, contact us to find out more.

New! Sign up for our 1,2 or 3 year Gift Aid Bundles – access to our click through and webinar courses for the whole team at a fraction of the price.  Find out more here

Gift Aid is more than just paperwork – it’s extra funds for vital causes, at no extra cost to donors. Equip your team with the tools to succeed, and together we can turn small asks into big impact.

Highlights & Takeaways

• 42% increase in Gift Aid conversion rates after training
• Nearly doubled donor sign-up rates – achievable in your shops too
• One hospice grew Gift Aid sales from 4% to 33% in just weeks
• Volunteers re-energised and excited to ask every donor, every time

To book your Gift Aid First Aid training & Mystery shops, please email:

hello@thecharityretailacademy.co.uk

More About Us

Boosting Gift Aid sales and conversion rates is so much easier with confident and knowledgeable shop teams. The Charity Retail Consultancy is proud to offer our new Gift Aid First Aid training days, designed to deliver just that.

Training Impact

After launching our new Gift Aid First Aid training with hospice shop managers this summer, results were immediate and impressive. After just 1 month, the charity’s average Gift Aid conversion rate increased by 48% and sign-up rates doubled.

What the Training Covers

Participants gain a thorough understanding of HMRC rules, practical skills, and hands-on activities. Everyone leaves equipped to return to their shops ready to increase income, strengthen compliance, and motivate their teams to make the most of every Gift Aid opportunity. Gift Aid First Aid training is engaging, focused, and ready to deliver measurable benefits in both donations and sales.

Feedback from the Retail Team

“It was great seeing the team engaged and willing to learn new tips and tricks and having gone away and implemented them the very next day. They’ve refreshed their teams, making sure volunteers are promoting Gift Aid, even to the donors that they’ve asked numerous times just in case there’s a change of circumstances. It has also been great seeing that growth in areas where it was deemed that Gift Aid had been exhausted.”

Why Choose Gift Aid First Aid?

Our face-to-face training day, delivered locally to you, offers the perfect energy boost for charity shop managers. Packed with practical tips, real-life scenarios, and confidence-building insights, it will help your teams unlock the full potential of every donation. They will learn how to remain compliant and become energised by Gift Aid opportunities and confident to turn hesitant tax paying donors into Gift Aid supporters. A bespoke training day costs just £950 +VAT for up to 20 delegates.

Super-charge your charity’s Gift Aid opportunities

We offer Gift Aid Mystery Shop store visits before the training day to give real-life feedback on their performance. It’s all done in an engaging non-threatening way, so staff see their opportunities and want to make immediate and long-term improvements.

The store visits check test all the Gift Aid elements that influence shop-based successes. We do these as a one-off activity or biannual visits to check the teams’ longer-term focus. Visits are led by our team before the training day, so you can be assured of our specialist expertise. Contact us now for more information.

In addition, we offer Charity Retail Learning bundles of online Gift Aid courses for shop staff who can’t attend in person, and a shorter course designed for shop volunteers, so you can rest assured that every retail team member applies essential Gift Aid skills. If you’re a Charity Retail Learning subscriber, all these courses are free for your teams!

We also run biannual webinars for Gift Aid Gift Aid for Retail leads & back-office teams (next sessions on 4th & 5th March 2026). Details of all CRL sessions are below:

Gift Aid training for charity shop teams

Gift Aid training for shop volunteers

Gift Aid for Retail leads & back office teams

Remember, if you’re a Charity Retail Learning subscriber, all these online courses and the webinar are free for your teams!

To enquire about Gift Aid First Aid training days, Gift Aid mystery shop visits or to buy a bundle of online courses for your charity retail team, please click here.

More About Us

We’re delighted to have refreshed and renewed our Charity Retail Coach offer for you over the past month.  We now have two fantastic Coaches – Dan O’Driscoll and Katie Duckworth, each of whom brings their own unique experience to our sector. 

Over the next month, we’ll be highlighting what’s on offer via guest blogs from Dan and Katie.  Our second is here for you now, calling on charity retail leaders to reclaim clarity, confidence, and purpose through focused coaching. We hope you enjoy it – and read our first blog by Dan here

By Katie Duckworth – KatieDuckworth.com

It’s 6pm on a rainy Thursday and you’re still in the office (or dashing home from one of your shops). Your phone and email have been buzzing all day with messages about stock rotation, volunteer schedules, and that drop in footfall.

Meanwhile, you’re supposed to be implementing a new digital strategy, hitting some seriously ambitious targets, and maintaining the sense of purpose that got you into this work in the first place.

It can be overwhelming, I know.

Yet, there’s so much to love about your work

As a charity retail leader, you know the sector is chock-full of opportunities. From collaborations with businesses keen to focus on sustainable fashion, to shops having a more meaningful role in their communities.

It’s an exciting time to be in our sector.

But, the pressures are going nowhere:

• Tighter budgets than ever

• Climbing retail rents and operational costs
• Competition from online outlets and commercial resellers
• Recruiting and retaining fabulous staff and volunteers
• Lower quality donations.

I know how hard you work. How passionate you are. But, how on earth to navigate it all?

How coaching helps

I’ve coached charity leaders from middle-managers to CEOs, supporting them, not just to survive, but to thrive in complex and pressured environments.

These leaders have shared a clear message with me about how coaching has been pivotal. They tell me it provides two essential things:

1. Time and space
2. A confidential ‘critical friend.’

In my experience, leaders find it almost impossible to take the time for their own personal and professional development. (How often do you get that in your work as you rush from one thing to another?)

And yet you’re supposed to be all over everything! And thinking big!

It’s hard to get clarity, direction and self-knowledge when you hardly have time to breathe.

Coaching will give you this vital space. It is purposefully carved-out time to raise your head up above your day-to-day challenges and be curious and creative about yourself and your work.

And it can be lonely being a leader, too. Having a ‘challenging cheerleader’ by your side with whom you can share confidential issues or private worries is truly precious. You get to investigate tricky issues, mess up, learn from failures, and get fresh perspective from someone with no agenda other than to see you shine.

So, what exactly can coaching help with?

• Stepping up into a new leadership role – Area Manager, for instance, or Director of Retail
• Building rock-solid self-belief and confidence in yourself (yes, this is getting in your way)
• Honing communication skills so you facilitate your team to even greater things
• Learning how to delegate better or have difficult conversations (an important part of leadership, but so often put off)
• Navigating a nervous team through big change on the horizon
• Managing your time and energy because, let’s face it, you’re not far off burnout.

It’s a coach’s job to ‘let you know you how it is’, holding up a mirror to the blind spots and assumptions you’d made which, if you’re truly honest, disempower you and frustrate your team.

How handy would that be? If a little scary!

‘Short burst’ 1-1 coaching

I’m passionate about charity retail and committed to supporting leaders to thrive and love their work so they’re even more impactful in their leadership.

In my role with The Charity Retail Consultancy, I have created an intro coaching package to support you in yours.

This bespoke four-week programme includes:

• One 60-minute Zoom coaching session to get clear on priorities and set ambitious goals for our work together
• Weekly 15-minute ‘Critical Comrade’ coaching calls so you stay on track (these can be combined into longer sessions.)
• Ongoing email support so you never need feel stuck or alone (and for celebration, accountability and encouragement)

Your investment: £400

Yep,  I know what you’re thinking!

Are you kidding me? ! can’t possibly invest that much in me!

I get it. Coaching feels like a luxury you can’t afford, right? But truly it shouldn’t be.

The things is, coaching is an investment in the mission, not just in you as an individual.

To carry out that mission you need to be fully supported in your leadership capacity if you’re to lead others successfully and effect the change that needs to happen.

Coaching is not a frivolous jolly. It’s not fluffy.

Yes, you get a friend and cheerleader but I can tell you, it’s ‘tough love’ too! I invite you to think of coaching as a hard-working deposit, a vital investment in the core work of your organisation, rather than a withdrawal from your hard-earned funds.

Coaching will have a tangible effect on the bottom line. (It’s notoriously hard to determine return on investment, but I’ve heard 500%+ ROI. That’s not pocket money, is it?)

In this current climate leaders need a coach more than ever to give them the edge to find creative solutions.

The fact is working with a coach is about taking top performance seriously. It’s about saying “I’m great at my job. I want to be even better and build a happy and productive team while taking care of my wellbeing, building my resilience and honing my leadership skills.”

Ready to take the next step?

Let’s talk

I’d love to invite you for a no-pressure chat about my ‘Short Burst’ coaching programme.

My style is warm, playful and practical, and my approach is simple – happier people create better results.

If that sounds good to you, drop me a line at katie@katieduckworth.com or connect with me on LinkedIn

Let’s have an honest conversation about where you are, where you want to be, and how we might work alongside each other to get you there.

Want practical leadership tips and tools? Check out my 100+ blogs at www.katieduckworth.com

“The experience of being coached by Katie has been transformational.

My skills, capacities and confidence have all improved.

I absolutely love Katie’s coaching style, which she tailored to my needs and situation. She saw me through the highs and lows of a challenging work situation, helping me navigate the complexities and keep going when things were exceptionally difficult.”

Paula Valentine, Save the Children

More About Us

We’re delighted to have refreshed and renewed our Charity Retail Coach offer for you over the past month.  We now have two fantastic Coaches – Dan O’Driscoll and Katie Duckworth, each of whom brings their own unique experience to our sector. 

Over the next month, we’ll be highlighting what’s on offer via guest blogs from Dan and Katie.  Our first is here for you now, focusing on the hugely impactful practice of Action Learning. We hope you enjoy it – and don’t forget to sign up quickly for Dan’s offer, as places are strictly limited so that delegates have the best experience possible. Read our second blog by Katie here

By Dan O’Driscoll, Executive Coach & Consultant – Engagement Consultancy

When I spoke at the Charity Retail Association Heads of Retail event last year, I shared my commitment to launching an Action Learning Set just for this sector. I know the value that coaching brings to leaders. It creates space for growth, a time to reflect and supports you in achieving your professional goals.  But I also know that traditional coaching can sometimes feel out of reach.

In charity retail, learning and development budgets are under pressure. It can be hard to justify spending money on external support when you’re focused on frontline impact. That’s why I’m launching this new Action Learning Set in partnership with The Charity Retail Consultancy: to create an affordable, practical, and peer-supported way for charity retail leaders to grow.

Starting this October, I’ll be facilitating a six-month journey designed specifically for senior professionals in charity retail, with a focus on real challenges, real learning, and real outcomes.

So, what is an Action Learning Set?

In simple terms, an Action Learning Set is a small group of peers who meet regularly to support each other through structured, facilitated conversations. But it’s much more than just a meeting.

It’s a way of working that’s:

• Collaborative – Everyone brings their own experiences and insight. You learn with and from each other.
• Reflective – It’s a pause from the day-to-day to think deeply about your leadership and decision-making.
• Supportive – It’s not about giving advice. It’s about asking powerful questions that unlock clarity and confidence.

Each session follows a proven format where you’ll bring a real, current work issue to the group. The rest of the group doesn’t offer solutions or quick fixes – instead, they listen carefully and ask open, curious questions. The process helps the presenter generate their own insights and actions – building confidence, ownership, and momentum.

As a facilitator, I’ll guide the process, hold the space, and ensure everyone gets equal value from the experience.

Why Action Learning works

From my experience (I’ve been part of an Action Learning Set for 5 years) the process of Action Learning;

• Improves problem-solving by helping you step back and reflect
• Builds confidence in your own judgement and leadership style
• Develops coaching skills you can use with your team and colleagues
• Creates trusted peer relationships in a safe, confidential environment
• Encourages accountability – by turning reflection into real action
• Fuels personal development without the pressure of being “taught”

It’s a powerful and practical way to lead better.

What to expect

• Six online sessions – one every month from 23rd October 2025
• 2 hours per session – enough time to go deep, but not be disruptive to your whole day
• Maximum 6 participants – to build trust and ensure everyone’s voice is heard
• Guided facilitation – from me, Dan O’Driscoll, a qualified ILM Level 7 executive coach and third sector consultant
• Cost: £529 total – that’s under £90 per session

You’ll bring the challenges. I’ll bring the structure, the questions, and the kettle (well… virtually).

Why I care about this

I’ve spent my career working across the charity, commercial, and education sectors – but charity retail has always felt like home. From my time as Head of Volunteering and Engagement at Oxfam to the work I’ve done with countless charities, I’ve seen first-hand how brilliant this sector can be.

Leadership in charity retail is complex. It’s fast-moving. It’s full of pressures and possibilities. That’s why we need space to step back, reflect, and learn with others who get it.

And that’s what this Action Learning Set offers.

Sound like your kind of thing?

Then I’d love to hear from you.

Spaces are limited (max 6), so drop me an email at dan@engagementconsultancy.co.uk

or connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdanielodriscoll/

More About Us

Pride Display Competition

On June 1^st, we’re launching our 4^th Annual Pride Display Competition. We invite charity retailers across the world to create and share fabulous displays, celebrating Pride and showing support for their LGBTQ+ communities.

To support shop teams in understanding the history and significance of Pride, we’ve pulled together some history and links for you, which you can read below.

Last Year’s 1st Place Winners – Highland Hospice Forres Shop

Discounted Inclusive Visual Merchandising resource

We’re also making our webinar recording on Using Visual Merchandising to Drive Inclusivity and Community Engagement half price from now until the end of July. The recording has lots of great hints and tips on how to create an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone, all year round.

You can purchase the course on our site for just £17.50 plus VAT per person – or if you’re a Charity Retail Learning subscriber, it’s absolutely free as part of your package.

More about Pride

Vicki at London Pride 1992

Jayne at Pride 1993

Gay Pride, also known as LGBTQ+ Pride, is rooted in a powerful legacy of resistance and celebration. Its origins trace back to the early morning of June 28, 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Tired of harassment, the LGBTQ+ community fought back, sparking the Stonewall Uprising – a pivotal moment in the modern gay rights movement.

In 1970, to commemorate the first anniversary of the uprising, activists organized the first Pride marches in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. These early demonstrations were both defiant and hopeful, emphasising visibility and equal rights at a time when homosexuality was still criminalised and stigmatised.

Throughout the decades, Pride evolved into a global movement. It expanded to include a wider range of identities, highlighting the diversity within the community. What began as protest grew into both celebration and remembrance: a time to honour progress, mourn losses from HIV/AIDS and hate crimes, and demand further change.

Today, Pride features parades, activism, and art worldwide. At its heart, Pride remains a call for equality, dignity, and love—rooted in resistance and resilience.

As we see LGBTQ+ rights beginning to be dialled back an under threat, there’s never been a more important time to make a stand and show our support.

Love is Love ️‍️‍

To learn more about Pride, click the links below:

• After fifty years of Pride, what should we fight for next? | Stonewall
• Stonewall at 50 documentary
• HRC | Being an LGBTQ+ Ally
• How to celebrate Pride Month in the workplace

How to enter

Send pictures of your Pride displays – they can be windows, in-store, pop up or online – to hello@thecharityretailconsultancy.co.uk by the 19^th of July. Every week we’ll share your entries on our YouTube channel and socials, and the winners will be announced shortly afterwards.

More About Us

Support

We’re proud to have supported 158 charities &  1,000s of shops with retail reviews, strategy planning, feasibility studies and much more.

People

We’re thrilled to have promoted again our original Kickstart trainee in ’21 now to Admin and Marketing Support Manager, and to collaborate long-term with 6 values-based specialist associates.

Giving Back

We ran sessions at CRA and Hospice conferences, delivered free webinars, volunteered in charity shops, & gave free charity support. We promoted our sector in newspapers, broadcast interviews, & via our YouTube channel.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion

We celebrated EDI with our booming annual Pride competition, ran a free webinar on improving disability access & promoted our EDI webinars.

Leadership

We provided interim leadership for 6 charities (regional & national), recruited great retail leaders & mentored retail teams.

Training

We’re officially the world’s biggest charity retail training provider! With 124 charities choosing us to deliver their L&D via Charity Retail Learning, 50 charity subscribers & 378 teams trained

We were beyond thrilled to be voted Supplier of the Year again at the 2024 Charity Retail Awards.

Thank you for choosing to with The Charity Retail Consultancy

More About Us

We’ve always loved getting hold of the latest Charity Retail Association Quarterly Market Analysis, and this quarter has shown us some positives – but some challenges too.

Charity retailers work SO HARD and deserve more than a quarterly sales decline of 0.3% – it’s great to see the volume of stock donations up but when the quality is poorer and rag prices are so low, we have to work smarter to keep the bottom line protected. After all, the contribution retail makes to all those amazing charities is one of the keystones of a caring society

The bottom line is that these are tough times for charity and commercial retail. We see it all the time. In the last couple of months, we’ve wandered down the charity shop streets of Cambridge, Rochdale, Oban, Carlisle, Leeds, Harrogate, Glasgow, Fakenham and Wakefield, and it’s a similar picture wherever we go – empty shop units, more low-priced than quality stores, fewer vibrant and busy high streets, and worried looking retailers.

But, despite the struggles of our high street retail, we must stay hopeful.  Here at The Charity Retail Consultancy, we’ve seen these peaks and troughs before, and we know that for those who are finding it hard, the better times will return. Until then, we’ve got to ensure we:

• Get the basics right – the customer service, the pricing, the stock selection, VM and presentation – all of it and all of the time!
• Surprise and delight your customers with promotions, sales, events (are you ready for World Book Day on 6th March, International Women’s Day on 8^th March, Record Store Day on 12^th April?)
• Highlight the great work your charity does in the windows and instore – customers and stock donors are increasingly interested in supporting ethical impactful shops, so put yourself in their shoes to make sure you are their chosen shop.
• Tell your amazing stories! About your charity, your people and your donations – use social media to engage and inspire your community.
• Remind customers that charity shops are The Most Sustainable retailers out there – choose simple strong messages to make them want to shop from and donate to your shops
• Keep staff and volunteer morale high via positive 2-way communication, regular shop visits, rewarding success and sharing how retail makes a positive contribution to the charity’s work
• Use our free resources to share good practice… Have you seen the great videos on our YouTube channel ? Do you share our free resources on our Charity Retail Consultancy and Charity Retail Learning websites with your teams?  There’s lots on the Charity Retail Association site too! Try something new
• Invest in your team so they can be the best version of their wonderful selves. Did you know it costs from just £252 (+ VAT) per year for everyone (staff and volunteers) in a shop team to benefit from our 40+ highly rated Charity Retail Learning online courses and live webinars?

Finally, make sure you take part in the next QMA – the more we share as a sector, the more we all benefit. You can access it from 31th March via the CRA Research page

Read the full QMA here

The Charity Retail Consultancy is proud to sponsor and support the CRA research programme

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