Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Like many people today, we’re huge fans of charity shopping. It’s a terrific way to browse a staggeringly varied and unusual range of clothing and goods super cheap while knowing you’re helping those in need.
Also, with an estimated four million children in the UK growing up in poverty, winter is set to be very difficult for many families.
Worse than ever this year, rising rent, food and energy prices will be felt most in poorer households.
With this new Charity shop Gift Card the act of giving has never been easier. It could even revolutionise the way we give to charity.
So for fans of charity shopping, enter the new Charity Shop Gift Card, which has been developed to allow shoppers to spend in multiple charity shops and in multiple visits, allowing you to put together ensembles and outfits and shop a vast range of clothing, books, films and homewares.
Charity shops across the UK are signing up to be part of this scheme, and with almost £7bn spent each year on gift cards, the charity shops are hoping this will help them to be more relevant and available to people who need to make a small amount of money go much further this year.
Some of the national charity retail chains are not set to go live until early in 2022, but there are already shops live in many parts of the country. Contact the Charity Shop Gift Card website to see which charity shops take the card in your area.
Charity Retail Association Chief Executive Robin Osterley says: “We are delighted to support the Charity Shop Gift Card, a fantastic initiative which will allow individuals and families a much greater flexibility in purchasing the great value items they need and want, as well as supporting good causes in the true spirit of Christmas. Charities as well as communities have been particularly hard -pressed during the pandemic, at a time when their services have never been more needed, and it’s a great win-win to be able to support both through the use of the Gift Card”.
Sarah Cox, Co-Founder says “I have been investigating the impact of clothing poverty for some time, and I am very pleased that the early feedback from card users has been very positive. In our research among families particularly affected by domestic abuse, we learned how important this card would be for many, with all of those we spoke to saying it would have improved their children’s health and wellbeing. As one mum said “It would give you the opportunity to buy the things you really need, when you need them. And you would be able to shop around and get things that suit your tastes not just what is available at the time.”
As one mum said, “It would give you the opportunity to buy the things you really need, when you need them. And you would be able to shop around and get things that suit your tastes not just what is available at the time.”
• You can purchase a card online
• You can donate a card for a child to have a winter wardrobe through one of the shops Donations – Children’s clothing (thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk)
For more information, and to find out if charity shops in your area take this card yet, contact [email protected]
Great idea, wins all round.