Charity Retail Awards winners 2023
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined us at Harrogate Convention Centre on Wednesday 28 June to celebrate the Charity Retail Awards. It was fantastic to bring back our gala dinner and awards ceremony to commend the achievements and successes of charity shop staff and volunteers over the past year.
We’d also like to thank 1st Waste Management for sponsoring the event, as well as everyone who submitted a nomination and helped to spread the word.
We’ve heard from our judges about just how difficult it was to judge the Awards this year due to the extremely high standard of entries, and would like to congratulate everyone who was nominated and shortlisted.
Here are the winners!
Young volunteer of the year
Sam Antrobus of Barnardo’s, for his commitment to supporting new volunteers and creating a welcoming and inclusive shop environment.
Volunteer of the year
Cynthia Sweeney of Wakefield Hospice, for her dedication over the past 15 years to volunteering at Wakefield Hospice warehouse and consistently working to a high standard.
Retail employee of the year
Amelia Wells of St Barnabas Hospice, Lincolnshire, for her exceptional performance as shop manager and for transforming the Brant Road shop into one of the charity’s most profitable stores.
Leadership
Charlotte Greenwood of Isabel Hospice, for her instrumental work in developing the charity’s sustainability initiative, Tonnes of Care, and in empowering and developing her leadership team.
Most supportive chief executive
Chris White of NCBI, for his work in showcasing the importance of charity retail and commitment to NCBI shops playing a central role in their local communities.
Shop of the year
Winner: Scope, Cambridge shop, for their success and innovative work in increasing annual profit and donations, as well as receiving very high levels of customer feedback.
Supplier of the year
Category A winner – fewer than 50 member clients: Eproductive
Category B winner – between 50 and 150 member clients: Nisyst
Category C winner – more than 150 member clients: Acopia
Most valuable item sold
Winner: Cancer Research UK with a first edition of The Hobbit
Cancer Research UK team with Awards co-host Jen Graham, Charity Shop Girl 
First edition of The Hobbit
Most unusual item donated
Winner: Primrose Hospice, Redditch with a pet casket
Primrose Hospice representative with Awards co-host Jen Graham, Charity Shop Girl 
Pet casket
Campaign of the year
Winner: Oxfam, for their Second Hand September campaign, a significant mixed-media campaign that has generated the charity’s best high-street Christmas in 10 years.
Technology
Winner: TRAID, for their collaboration with MicroMkt to deliver innovative new pop-up, Charity Super.Mkt.
Environmental and sustainability
Winner: Royal Trinity Hospice, for their work in promoting sustainable fashion and identifying a set of ‘Sustainable 7’ priorities to make significant improvements across their retail operations.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Winner: Shelter, for their proactive work towards addressing pay inequalities in the organisation and becoming a more inclusive employer.
Outstanding charity retailer
Winner: Acorns Children’s Hospice, for their successful development of a 3-year strategy focused on driving sales and maximising gift-aid, as well as prioritising targeted work in improving staff and volunteer wellbeing.
Outstanding contribution to charity retail
Winner: Charity Super.Mkt, for their innovative and popular pop-up concept that has brought charities under one roof in cities across the UK.
The WOW! Factor
Sponsored by East London Textiles
Best shop interior winner: NCBI, Belfast
Best shop window winner: The Air Ambulance Service, Solihull
Emma Peake, Chair of the Charity Retail Association, said: “The Charity Retail Awards are our sector’s biggest opportunity to shout about the successes and achievements of the past year. This year we’ve seen a wealth of creativity, innovation and commitment on display that has made me feel very proud to be part of the charity retail sector, and I’m delighted to be celebrating the staff and volunteers who make it all happen. Congratulations to everyone who has won an award, it is very well deserved!”
