Acorns Children’s Hospice has won a prestigious national award recognising the work of its charity shops.
The charity won the Outstanding Charity Retailer Award at the Charity Retail Association Awards yesterday (28th June) – awards which are held annually to celebrate the achievements, creativity and impact of the charity retail sector.
Amid stiff competition from the Salvation Army and British Red Cross, Acorns – which operates over 40 shops across the West Midlands – was recognised for a number of forward-thinking retail initiatives which have helped the charity achieve record-breaking profits towards its vital care.
Gary Pettit, Director of Retail at Acorns, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised at these awards and I’m so proud of our amazing retail team and volunteers. We’ve achieved so much because of their hard work and commitment – and as a result, continue to make a huge difference in the lives of the local children and families we serve.”
In the past year, Acorns charity shops delivered over £2 million in vital funds, money that went directly to its work caring for life limited children and their families across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire.
The award recognised the charity’s retail investment programme which included 10 charity shop refits over the past year and the introduction of new technology such as iPads to help facilitate staff training and the collection of gift-aid.
Gary added: “We are proud to receive an accolade that reaffirms our commitment to excellence as a leader in the charity retail sector. Our aim is to create a sustainable and innovative retail operation and empower our teams to grow income whilst developing a positive customer experience.”
Acorns Children’s Hospice has been providing expert palliative care to children and support for their families for over three decades.
It costs the charity around £10 million every year to continue and it relies on fundraising, donations and the income from its charity shops for the bulk of that amount.
