Charity Membership 2010 - 2011
Our members
range from the largest national charities to locally based hospices,
running nearly 7000 shops between them.
- Membership criteria
- How we work to support our members
- Charity membership benefits
- Fees
- Join or renew: Online application
- Join or renew: Download application (pdf)
- Code of Charity Retailing 2010 (pdf)
- Charity membership brochure 2010-11 (pdf)
Membership is open to ...
- Registered charities in England, Scotland and Wales
- Exempt charities
- Charities registered or recognised in Northern Ireland
- Charity subsidiary trading companies
Charities outside the UK may apply to be Overseas Members (this also applies to the Channel Islands and Isle of Man).
Charity Membership applications are subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
Our Board of Directors are elected to represent the range of size and type of charity retailer, with members from large, medium and small operations, including hospices. This broad and balanced representation allows the Association to take forward issues important to the sector as a whole and to understand and respond to the differing needs of members.
By pooling expertise and joining forces to promote common interests, we help members to operate their shops as effectively as possible.
- Effective lobbying and public relations on behalf of our members on key issues for the sector, such as Gift Aid improvements, correct waste charging and donated stock
- Promotion of best practice and increased public support through the Code of Charity Retailing, the self regulatory scheme for the sector
- Research and market analysis - reports of charity retail performance not available anywhere else
- Guidance and information about charity retailing and key legislation, supporting your shops' activities
- Annual Conference, Exhibition and Awards
- Access to free e-learning courses on Health & Safety and Security
- Interest groups and networking opportunities
- Online discussion forum - a virtual meeting space
- Free, 24 hour legal advice and charity tax advice
- Marketing materials
- Comprehensive website - www.charityshops.org.uk
- Support, from those who understand the sector
Larger charity members
Our largest members look to the Association as the 'voice of the sector' best placed to lobby on key issues. We bring the sector's concerns to the attention of policy makers, the media and the public and achieve real change. Our ongoing waste campaign illustrates this approach and has already saved the sector many hundreds of thousands of pounds. We provide for our larger members:
- Monthly market analysis reports of charity retail performance
- Well-attended national charity networking opportunities
Barney Tallack, Deputy Trading Director, Oxfam GB
Smaller charity members
The Association provides information and services centrally that smaller charity retail operations may not have the resources to provide for themselves.
- Comprehensive guidance on key legislation in the Members' Handbook
- Training opportunities
- Consumer research
- Access to legal advice
- Bursary scheme for first time Annual Conference attendees
Isobel Stefaniuk, Scheme Manager, Home-Start Teesside
Hospice members
We have 127 hospice members and we recognise the differing profile and needs of this part of the charity retail sector.
- We provide hospice-specific benchmarking data in our market analysis reports.
- Hospice members play an active part in our interest groups.
- There are 4 hospice representatives currently on our Board of Directors.
Dawn Charlesworth, Area Retail Manager, Barnsley Hospice
Please read carefully as invoices will be based on the following information. The appropriate fee band will be calculated based on the number of permanent shops.
Permanent shops
• Minimum fee: £200 plus VAT per annum
• Charities with 0-4 shops: £200 plus VAT per annum (ie. the minimum fee)
• Charities with 5-20 shops: £47.50 plus VAT per shop per annum
• Charities with 21-100 shops: £40 plus VAT per shop per annum
• Charities with 101+ shops: £36 plus VAT per shop per annum,
up to max 500 shops
• Applications received after 1 September 2010 will be charged at half price, for charities with UK permanent shops only
Temporary and overseas shops
• Temporary shops are in, or expected to be in operation for less than 6 months at 1 January 2010
• Overseas membership is for charities running shops outside the UK
• Temporary and overseas shops are charged at half the rate for permanent shops plus VAT, subject
to minimum fee of £200 plus VAT per annum.
Membership year: 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011
Please do not send payment with your application as you will be invoiced for your membership fees. You can then pay by either cheque or BACS. The Association does not accept credit card payments.

