Everything the CRA does!

This page is sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson LLP

Click on the headings below to find the resource you need. Can’t find something? Email alex@charityretail.org.uk.

Business directory
A list of suppliers of products and services to charity retailers – all from the CRA’s corporate membership.

Charity Retail Awards
Keep an eye here for the nominations period opening, categories, deadlines, criteria and pics from the event.

Conference
Use this link to keep abreast of Charity Retail Conference news.

Conference presentations (members’ area)

Consultation responses (members’ area)
The CRA’s latest responses to government proposals that affect the charity sector.

Cost of living – ideas for charity retailers (members’ area)
How to respond to the cost of living crisis in a charity retail setting.

Cyber Security (members’ area)
The National Cyber Security Centre has provided a range of resources for organisations to keep their IT systems and users safe.

Events – general
Signposting to booking and information for our special interest groups, network meetings, conferences,
webinars and more.

Find a shop / e-shop
Our most popular web page, drawing close to £1m people annually, members’ shops are listed here and you can keep the listing up to date, adding as little or as much information as you like.

Forum (members’ area)
Put your questions to sector colleagues for guidance and tips on challenges you may be facing.

Gift Aid (retail) (members’ area)
HMRC approved training manual, introductory FAQs and template documents to help you get retail Gift Aid right.

Health & safety and fire safety guidance (members’ area – go to Health & safety section)
H&S compliance checklist, fire safety on the shop floor, model risk assessment and more.

Health & safety and fire safety resources
Digital and hard copies of our low cost H&S guide and posters, and fire safety guides.

Interest groups – presentations and minutes (members’ area)
If you missed a group meeting – catch up here. Full of ideas, guidance, insight and learning.

Mentoring
Build an effective mentoring relationship, where you can either explore areas of your professional life you
wish to develop, or give back by offering your own expertise. A managed matchmaking service.

People management (members’ area – go to Policy > People section)
Handling abuse and harassment from customers, safeguarding, volunteer and employment law, under 16
volunteers. There is a separate section on volunteering.

Pricing (members’ area)
Guidance and a brands list from The Charity Retail Consultancy.

Property and business rates (members’ area – go to Policy > Property section)
Including tenants and the right to rent and recouping rent after a break date.

Recruitment
Low cost vacancy listings for CRA members.

Research (QMA) (members’ area)
Up to date sector stats primarily on sales, but also specialist topics such as workforce (including salaries) and cost of energy.

Safeguarding
The tools you need to set up a licensing scheme for your shops, so that they can visibly be seen to conform to your safeguarding requirements.

Sale of goods (members’ area – go to Policy > Sale of goods section)
Guidance on selling just about anything!

Security and handling retail crime (members’ area)
The National Business Crime Centre provides a range of resources, advice and guidance on handling retail crime. Plus a security manual and hotline from Lodge Service.

Shop audit – basic (members’ area)
From first impressions created by your shop front to shop floor and back room, this template incorporates merchandising, health and safety, security, staff and volunteers, messaging, paperwork and Gift Aid.

Social media calendar
Keep up to date with the CRA’s charity retail promotional campaigns that you can make your own and/or share.

Social value / Social return on investment
A framework to help your charity demonstrate its contributions to the local community, high street and
environment in five main areas where charity shops generate additional social value.

Sustainability (members’ area)
Resources for your retail operation to cut carbon emissions and run in a more sustainable way.

Templates and policies
Many shared by your fellow members – policies, new schemes, templates … if what you are looking for isn’t here, ask us and we’ll aim to get hold of it for you.

Training
Charity Retail Learning is a collaboration between the Charity Retail Association and The Charity Retail
Academy providing sector-specific training.

TRUST
TRUST is a scheme which provides certification to companies that purchase goods from charity retailers and other entities (e.g. local authorities, textile recyclers / collectors / sorters / graders).

UK’s Favourite Charity Shop
Keep an eye out here for nominations period, deadlines, assets, voting and results. 

Volunteering
Comprehensive and detailed resources, specifically developed for charity retail, covering all areas of
volunteer management.

Waste and recycling (members’ area – go to Policy > Waste and recycling section)
Resources on carrier bags, WEEE, council waste charges, plastic packaging tax and waste
management guidance.

Wellbeing
Expertly curated wellbeing resources from the Retail Trust to support the emotional, physical, vocational and financial wellbeing needs of you and your retail colleagues.