“As a small local charity with just one shop, this recognition means the world to us, our volunteers, and our community. It not only celebrates the work happening on our shop floor but shines a light on how vital charity retail is to our mission.”
Allison West
Our Chester-Le-Street shop opened its doors in 2023 at a time when our branch was facing serious financial challenges. We were working with low reserves, limited income, and growing demand for animal welfare support. The shop quickly became more than just a retail space, it became our lifeline.
Today, this single shop generates around 75% of our charity’s total income, providing the financial foundation that allows us to deliver animal welfare programmes across Sunderland, Hartlepool, South Tyneside, parts of County Durham and Gateshead too! Our entire charity operation is run from this site, with our offices located directly above the shop, creating a true community hub where retail, welfare, volunteering, and local engagement all come together under one roof.
A small shop making a big difference
Despite our size, our impact is significant. Since stabilising our charity through retail income, we have been able to:
Launch veterinary welfare schemes, including subsidised emergency vet care and regular mobile vet clinics
Expand our pet food bank, accessible both in store and through online application, ensuring pet owners in crisis never have to choose between feeding themselves or their animals
increase our assisted neutering support, a priority during the ongoing cat welfare crisis
Begin developing our first ever education programme, supported by grants, to help foster carers and children in care develop responsible pet ownership skills
Strengthen our governance, staff leadership, and trustee structure to build a resilient, impactful charity.
None of these initiatives would be possible without the income and visibility provided by our shop.
Retail innovation and diversifying our income
Like many charities, we have felt the impact of the dramatic drop in rag prices. Instead of accepting reduced income, our team looked for creative solutions.
Our retail lead and volunteers developed an innovative project to recycle rag material into handmade dog coats, transforming unsellable donations into sustainable, high quality pet products. This initiative not only generates new income but demonstrates our commitment to environmental responsibility and making the absolute most of every donation we receive.
We continue to explore new ways to diversify income through:
Upcycling projects
Enhanced eBay sales
Seasonal product innovation
Data-driven stock rotation and pricing strategies
Stronger community engagement and local partnerships
Creativity, efficiency, and sustainability are at the core of our approach.
More than a shop – a community hub
What makes our shop so special is not just the income it generates, but the sense of belonging it creates. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, forming a vibrant, supportive team. Many customers visit not only to shop but to chat, seek advice, drop off food bank donations, or learn about our welfare programmes.
The shop has become a trusted space where animal welfare, community support, and compassionate retail coexist.
Gratitude and looking forward
Winning the Charity Retail Association award is a tremendous honour. For a small branch like ours, it shows what can be achieved through creativity, determination, and community spirit. We are grateful to everyone who donates, shops, volunteers, and works with us, this award belongs to them too.
With this recognition, we feel more motivated than ever to continue strengthening our retail offer, expanding welfare programmes, and demonstrating the unique power of charity retail to transform local lives, both human and animal.
Thank you to the Charity Retail Association for celebrating the impact of small shops like ours. We are proud of what we have achieved and excited for everything still to come.
