The UK’s Favourite Charity Shop 2024 announced
We are delighted to announce that The Air Ambulance Service Shop in Melton Mowbray has been crowned the winner of the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Award!
The East Midlands charity shop claimed the winning title at the 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner, held in London on 19 November. The shop was one of 12 area winners in the running to receive the title.
Two runners up were also announced on the night, with St Peter’s Hospice, Bristol, and Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, Godalming taking home the titles.
The awards, launched as part of Charity Retail Association’s 25th anniversary celebrations, are the first of their kind and aim to highlight the value of charity shops and the enormous impact they have. The social value generated by UK charity shops has been estimated at £75.3 billion and they contribute as much as £387m to their parent charities each year (charity retail sector statistics).
The award presentation took place at the conclusion of a memorable gala dinner, a spectacular evening made possible through the generous sponsorship of Charity Fleetcare and Arnold Clark, whose support played a vital role in bringing this special event to life.
Second hand fashion advocate Jen Graham also known as Charity Shop Girl, was our guest celebrity on the evening. Jen said:
“It’s been an honour to be part of these special awards and to meet so many wonderful people that are passionate about charity retail. Buying second hand not only helps charities to continue the incredible work they do for us and our families, but it helps keep clothes out of landfill and means we aren’t encouraging new things to be constantly produced. Charity shopping is so much cheaper too, so we can save money while supporting good causes.”
Simon Mitchell, Area Manager at The Air Ambulance Service, praised the winning shop team, saying: “The award is thoroughly deserved, the team are absolutely brilliant. They are not only a credit to our charity but to the charity sector itself.”
Robin Osterley, Chief Executive of Charity Retail Association, highlighted the importance of the awards:
“Congratulations to the team at The Air Ambulance Service. This award is a testament to the dedication of the shop’s wonderful staff and volunteers, and shows how valued it is by their customers and the wider community. We have been delighted with the response to the awards, which we hope will inspire more people to visit their local charity shops and support the wonderful organisations they are part of, which are making an incredible difference to society every day.”
We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped make the 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner such a special event. Congratulations once again to The Air Ambulance Shop in Melton Mowbray for being named the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop, and a special recognition to the runners-up, St Peter’s Hospice, Bristol, and Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, Godalming.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who nominated and voted. Your support and enthusiasm have made these awards possible, and we couldn’t be more grateful!
Top image from left to right: Robin Osterley, Chief Executive, Charity Retail Association, Mark Rawlins, Director of Trading, and Simon Mitchell, Area Manager, The Air Ambulance Service, Andrew Deeley, Executive Chairman, Charity Fleetcare, David Anderson, Public Sector Area Manager, Arnold Clark, Jen Graham, Charity Shop Girl.
For more details, visit: www.charityretail.org.uk/the-uks-favourite-charity-shop-award
20/11/24 16:16