First #sfw2022 sponsors… The Charity Retail Association!

We are thrilled to announce our first confirmed sponsors for SFW 2022... The Charity Retail Association. 

The Charity Retail Association are the primary membership association for UK charity shops. Between them, their members run 9000 charity shops in the UK. The charity sector generates £330m a year for charitable purposes, whilst harnessing the skills of nearly a quarter of a million volunteers in the UK. 

Susan Meredith, Deputy Chief Executive at the Charity Retail Association said:

“We are so excited to be associated with Sustainable Fashion Week as we represent such a widespread and visible high street fashion presence with outstanding reuse and social value credentials; it’s time to shout even louder and do more for the planet with that profile.”

The organisation evolved in the late 90s, where it started to become clear that a national voice for the charity sector became sought after – due to issues with business rates relief and VAT after the 1997 General Election. This led to the culmination of the Association of Charity Shops (ACS), which later in 2013 became the Charity Retail Association. 

The CRA has spent considerable time campaigning to strengthen the charity retail sector, build strong communities of charity shops, become an accessible hub of knowledge, and promote sustainability within the sector. 

Aside from providing a platform for support and learning, commissioning market specific research and curating a comprehensive selection of community events… some of their notable achievements include commissioning a report on the social benefits of charity retail titled ‘Shopping for good’. They also successfully prevented the Welsh Government from charging business rates to charity shops in 2014, building a stronger charity retail community. 

There is certainly a systemic lack of support from the government with the flood of donations charity shops receive, meaning that thousands of unsellable items can end up in landfill or be shipped overseas - creating vast fabric waste dumps that we don’t see. But the charity sector plays a vital role in creating a circular system in the UK, one that needs support.  

They also champion community spirit, providing a safe place in which people can volunteer to gain confidence and employability skills. It’s estimated over 3 million people across the UK have spent some of their time volunteering in a charity shop at some point in their lives – whether that’s older generations spending their time sociably, or younger generations looking to develop employability skills, charity shops play a vital role in empowering people in many different ways. 

Charity shops also play an integral role in keeping high-streets alive, attracting donors’ volunteers, staff, and shoppers. In the smallest of towns, you will more than likely find a charity shop. In the wake of covid and seeing everything move online, many high-streets are struggling to keep their footfall but this sector (with many of its eclectic and vibrant shops) proves to play an active role in rejuvenating high-streets and holding down the hustle and bustle. 

The work that the CRA does on the ground is invaluable within towns and communities, and this is why SFW is proud to be partnering with them. We fully support the notion that charity shops are #morethanashop, but rather a community hub in which we can shop with a positive impact. 

…. keep your eyes peeled on our SFW 2022 event programme for some special charity shop events!