Charity Retail Awards 2025
Generously supported by 1st Waste Management Consultants 
🎺 Nomination period now open!
Taking place on the evening of Wednesday 25 June at Harrogate Convention Centre, we’re planning an evening filled with celebration as we honour the remarkable achievements of our amazing sector.
Use the links below to see the criteria and download entry forms for each award.
Deadline for nominations: 5pm on Thursday 17 April
Categories and links:
Thank you to our amazing judges
Becca Caddy, Journalist and Author
Becca Caddy is a freelance technology journalist, writing for publications like TechRadar, New Scientist, and Stylist. She specialises in covering how technology shapes our daily lives, from wearables to digital wellbeing. In 2021, she published Screen Time, a book exploring how we can build a healthier relationship with our devices. Becca focuses on innovations that improve wellbeing, productivity, and the way we connect with the world.
Berkeley Wilde, Founder and Chief Executive
Berkeley has been working as an Equality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consultant, researcher and trainer for nearly three decades. He is the Founder and CEO of the Diversity Trust. He is passionate about community cohesion and community development, empowerment and leadership, as well as social change. Berkeley’s leadership is anchored in fostering an environment where equality and diversity are not just ideals, but everyday practice.
Bertie Heppel, Associate Director, Meridian West
Since joining Meridian West in 2021 Bertie has managed dozens of projects, providing strategic, research-led advice to firms on a variety of topics, from market strategy, to brand positioning, to client strategy. His clients include PwC, JLL, Addleshaw Goddard, Womble Bond Dickinson, Withers, BNP Paribas, BDO Global, and the Charity Retail Association – for whom he is the author of the CRA’s Quarterly Market Analysis reports.
Dan O’Driscoll, Founder, Engagement Consultancy
Dan brings over 19 years of experience in the charity, commercial, and higher education sectors. As a consultant he has worked extensively with charities supporting them with consultancy projects focusing on their volunteering programmes, policies and practices. As a qualified executive coach, Dan has a deep passion in unlocking people’s potential. As an experienced facilitator Dan runs workshops and away days focusing on leadership development. Prior to this Dan worked for Oxfam as Head of Volunteering and Engagement where he set the tone and strategic direction for how the organisation worked with and engaged with volunteers.
Deborah St. Louis, Director, Fashions Finest
A leading platform dedicated to supporting emerging UK and international designers, under Deborah’s leadership, Fashions Finest has become known for showcasing diverse talent, particularly from underrepresented communities, through high-profile fashion events, including during London Fashion Week. The platform provides a vital space for independent designers to gain visibility and industry recognition. Her work has earned Fashions Finest accolades such as the Best Independent Fashion Event Platform 2020. Beyond events, she actively mentors aspiring designers, helping them navigate the fashion industry and build sustainable careers.
Debra Allcock Tyler, Chief Executive Officer, Directory of Social Change
Debra has worked in the charitable and voluntary sector for nearly 40 years with brief forays into the private sector. Amongst numerous other roles, she is Co-Chair of the Soldiering on Awards. She is a Trustee of In Kind Direct, one of the Prince’s Foundation Charities, a governor of the Berkshire NHS Community Foundation Trust, a Commissioner on the Local News Commission of the Public Interest News Foundation, and is an Africa Advocacy Foundation Ambassador for women and girls at risk of or affected by Female Genital Mutilation.
Denise Hayward, Chief Executive, Volunteer Now
Denise has been Chief Executive with Volunteer Now since August 2017 and prior to that Director of Engagement since 2010. She has extensive experience in supporting volunteer involvement. She has wide ranging expertise in public and organisational volunteering policy development, volunteering research and supporting good practice in volunteering. She is experienced in third sector governance issues through many years working at a senior level in the voluntary and community sector. Denise is an active volunteer for Portadown YMCA, Armagh Rural Transport and Belfast Central Mission.
Donna Mitchell, Account Manager, Retail Trust
Donna Mitchell is an enthusiastic Account Manager at Retail Trust, spreading positivity and wellbeing for the past 19 months. Donna’s mission? To empower Retail Trust’s Partners with all things Wellbeing, ensuring they champion the amazing content and support. Together, we’re making sure every colleague feels supported and never misses out on the good vibes Retail Trust provide!
Fiona Condron, National Head of Charities, BDO
Fiona is an Audit Partner, Head of Charities at BDO and Vice Chair of the ICAEW Charities and Voluntary Sector Committee. She is passionate about providing high quality external audit to many of the leading charities and social enterprises in the UK. She spent the first decade of my career with a Big 4 firm which was a fantastic grounding in a wide range of skills and experience. Her experience of the third sector extends across two decades.
James Lowman, Chief Executive, Association of Convenience Stores
James has led ACS on political and policy representation and driven a unique research programme that informs ACS’ policy work. James is a member of ministerial advisory groups including the National Retail Crime Steering Group and the Retail Sector Council. He also sits on the boards of Community Alcohol Partnerships, the Proof of Age Standards Scheme and the London Food Board, and is a sector leader representative to the High Streets Task Force.
Kat Maclennan, Consultant, The Charity Retail Consultancy
Kat Maclennan collaborates with charities to create engaging retail experiences, balancing commercial and creative decisions to maximise sales. Passionate about charity retail, Kat is experienced in the development of VM principles, store planning strategies, window design ideas and facilitating interactive VM workshops for retail teams providing them the tools and confidence to implement new ideas in their shops.
Marcus Bowen, Capability Development Lead, VCS Emergencies Partnership
Marcus is experienced in working across differing roles in the charity sector, but always with a focus on advocacy and equality. As Capability Development Lead in the EP he creates space and convening organisations from across the voluntary, community and faith sector to connect community expertise with emergency response and build collective knowledge so that, in times of crisis, we put people at the heart, from the start.
Ngozi Lyn Cole, Lyn Cole Consultancy
Ngozi Lyn Cole believes that everyone has the passion and potential to achieve their ambition and sees her ‘why’ as supporting individuals and organisations to do just that. A self-employed executive coach and leadership catalyst, Ngozi holds non-executive posts including Chair of the North East Justice Together Initiative and Board Vice Chair at the South Tyneside & Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
Nicola Lynch, Social Value consultant & Impact Management Specialist
Nicola works closely with Social Value International and member networks in the UK & Ireland. She is one of approximately 15 Level 3 Advanced Practitioners and 4 Accredited Trainers in the UK as accredited by Social Value International. Nicola also holds Associate Trainer roles with the School for Social Entrepreneurs and the New Economics Foundation and she is a Senior Associate (Social Value) with Civil Society Consulting CIC.
Omer Soker, CEO, Charitable Reuse Australia
Charitable Reuse Australia is the only trade association representing the interests of charity retailers in Australia. With 80 member enterprises and 3,000 shops, the sector raises A$961 million a year for social good while diverting over a million tonnes of household items for reuse and saving 880,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.
Swami Bala, Founder and CEO, Sweet Potato Tec
Sweet Potato Tec is a consulting firm specialising in helping non-profit, event and media companies unlock the full potential of their CRM, data and AI. With over two decades of experience in digital transformation, CRM, data and AI strategy, Swami has led impactful projects that drive commercial value and customer engagement. Passionate about technology’s role in social impact, Swami is honoured to serve as a judge for the Charity Retail Association’s Technology Award, recognizing innovative solutions that empower charities to thrive in the digital age.