The Charity Shop Gift Card

… a gift card for good.

We’ve all seen the gift cards  stacked at the end of the aisles in supermarkets – everything from clothing and furniture to music and films.  Whether you are a student or a restaurant lover, loyal to just one favourite store or want to shop around, it appears there is a gift card to suit everyone.  But there hasn’t been a truly sustainable, conscious gift card until now -  The Charity Shop Gift Card works just like all the other multi-retailer gift cards but is only for use in charity shops.  Seems so simple and people always tell us that they can’t believe it hasn’t been done before.

Gift cards are an easy win when you’re not sure what to choose for someone or are lost for inspiration. More personal than just giving cash, it says to the recipient ‘ I know the kind of places you shop but I’d like you to choose something you’d like’.  All very well and good but what if that person doesn’t wear fast fashion, doesn’t support the ethics of some of the big businesses , prefers to shop consciously and support small, local businesses?  The Charity Shop Gift Card can do all of that and more – help protect the environment, support charities recovering from the huge losses of lockdown, boost the circular economy AND support people who are in need.  That’s why we call it ‘a gift card for good’.

When you shop in charity shops you are helping to keep clothing and other items out of landfill.  You are reducing carbon emissions and saving water by prolonging the life of garments that would otherwise have been thrown away.  The Charity Retail Association estimates that charities with a retail presence lost around £28m a month during the various lockdowns, not to mention suffering from the loss of vital staff and now needing volunteers more than ever.  It was clear on social media and in the press that the reopening of charity shops in summer of this year was what we had all been waiting for; whether to donate the accumulation of lockdown clear-outs or just to have a good old rummage!  Of course the seasoned charity-shoppers among us will also know of the sense of community that centres around charity shops, the conversations that happen you just don’t experience in the same way in other high street stores. Charity shops provide a sense of community, belonging and purpose to their staff, their volunteers and their customers. They can also provide all this and more for the marginalised in society.  Many charity shops have regular elderly or vulnerable members of the public who visit the shop every day, just to have something to do , someone to speak to.

It's this social value that will help the many who can receive The Charity Shop Gift Card as part of welfare assistance, provided by councils, refuges, food banks and other support agencies, and help them regain some dignity and choice whilst they rebuild their lives.

In much the same way that a gift card bought as a present puts the onus on choice for the recipient, The Charity Shop Gift Card also does that to people who are experiencing financial crisis.  It could be that they have faced homelessness and are now arranging accommodation, refugees who came here with no more than the clothes on their backs, people who are fleeing domestic abuse and need everything to start over again or maybe just one of the millions experiencing in-work poverty who dread the thought of the changing seasons because they can’t make ends meet, let alone afford new winter coats and shoes for their kids. Leaving care, eviction, addiction, poor mental health – all reasons that can mean people end up marginalised and, along with the financial impact, can experience low self esteem and poor physical and mental health.  At this point, bouncing from one agency to another, relying on welfare assistance and donations, choice – something we often take for granted as  – becomes a privilege.  Of course kind donations of clothing and furniture are a godsend to people who have nothing; filling the gaps that other agencies can’t afford to do.  But should it be true that beggars can’t be choosers?  Should people just be grateful for the hand outs they receive or should people be empowered to choose the clothing that they would like to wear or furniture and homewares that could make their accommodation a home?

By becoming part of the solution for welfare assistance we can help put some agency and dignity back into the lives of people who have lost the luxury of choice or been stripped of their identity.  The clothes you wear or the items you put in your home can go a long way into rebuilding that identity, the self-esteem and, ultimately, mental health.  You will feel more equipped to attend a job interview knowing you have chosen something smart to wear, happier to have your children’s friends round when you know they will have toys to play with, a bed in their bedroom.

We are passionate about the impact that The Charity Shop Gift Card can have to people’s lives, to the environment and to local communities.  That’s why a minimum or 65% of our profits will go back onto gift cards that we can distribute to people in need, who will in turn spend that money in charity shops, and will feel empowered that they are doing something good too.    When you buy or receive The Charity Shop Gift Card, you will know that you are helping to build a circular economy and make a difference to people’s lives.

So although I hate to mention the c-word when summer has only just finished, why not add The Charity Shop Gift Card to your wish-list? And be safe in the knowledge that it is a gift card for good.

The Charity Shop Gift Card will be launching soon, so follow us on instagram @thecharityshopgiftcard for updates on when and where the card can be spent or for further information contact sarah.cox@thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk