Annual Conference Report 2007
The Association's Annual Conference 2007 was a huge success resulting in some of the best feedback received in recent years. Fully established as the only event for charity retail, we embarked on our fifth year at Keele University. The theme of ‘Improving Performance’ was demonstrated aptly by the largest choice of focus sessions to date, plus a motivational glass-walking session, a play and the Prize Draw.
Download the Conference 2007 brochure (pdf)
Plenary sessions
Following the welcome address, Nick Monger-Godfrey (pictured right),
Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at John Lewis Partnership commenced
proceedings with an insightful look at ‘how ethical and environmental policies
contribute to improving performance’.
Nick was followed by John Parker of Dove Nest Group, who focused on ‘improving performance through your people’.
On Tuesday, Cliff Mann from Time4Change motivated our audience with a glass-walking demonstration, ‘breaking through the barriers to improve personal performance’.
Delegates were entertained with some light relief, containing important messages, in the form of the play ‘Animal Magic’ (pictured left), specially written for the Conference by John Tough, with commentary and insight from Caryn Skinner of Sharpestone Skinner, Learning and Development Consultancy.
Our final plenary and fitting end to the two days was about ‘celebrating achievement’, as highlighted by Rowena Dean, Chief Executive at Iain Rennie Hospice at Home and David McCullough, Trading Director at Oxfam.
“The best yet!……..“Excellent as always.”….…“Great Conference this year. Gained lots of new information.” |
Focus sessions to inspire everyone
Our selection of focus sessions is designed to benefit charities large
and small, from local hospices to national organisations, whether your
interest is property, HR, recycling, Gift Aid, electronic selling,
strategic planning, plus many more. Delegates were asked to select 4
focus sessions out of a choice of 25 in order to achieve performance
improvement in targeted areas.
Exhibition 2007
With our largest number of exhibitors to date, covering a range of services to the sector, this year’s Exhibition was a big success among delegates and commercial organisations alike. Bristol Textile Recyclers and Auctionhere/HomePages Friends sponsored the event, with support from B Smith Packaging, and were joined by 35 other suppliers, including online auction services, textile processors, IT services, shop fittings, tills, Christmas cards and more, giving delegates the opportunity to view new products and make new contacts. Exhibition knowledge was the basis for our Prize Draw competition, sponsored by Planet Choice (pictured below, bottom with winners).
See a full rundown of 2007 exhibitors.
Drinks Reception
The evening’s festivities kicked off with white wine spritzers and fruit punch at our Drinks Reception in historic Keele Hall, sponsored by eBay for Charity.
Awards dinner and ceremony
This year our Awards Dinner, sponsored by Powell Publishing, brought laughter from Kate Hull Rodgers (pictured centre), joy to those who won Awards, and sadness in saying goodbye to Stephen Robertson (right), the Association’s Chair of the Board of Directors for the past four years. See a full rundown of Awards results below.
The Wow Factor Award 2007
This special award category, judged by those attending the Conference, involves charities submitting photos of shops that had a distinctive ‘WOW’ factor for them. This year’s winner is North Devon Hospice for their Barnstaple shop (pictured left).
Annual Awards winners 2007
The
Awards aim to recognise, celebrate and motivate performance in the
sector and are the only awards made specifically for charity retailing.
The Awards were sponsored by Powell
Publishing.
Winners slideshow - Click here
Highest Average Volunteer Contribution per shop per week
1-10 shops
Winner - Force Cancer Charity
2nd - Sense Scotland
11-20 shops
Winner - St Luke's Hospice, Plymouth
2nd -
St Gemma's Hospice
21-100 shops
Winner - CLIC Sargent
2nd - Princess Alice Hospice
100+ shops
Winner - Save the Children
2nd - British Heart Foundation
Young Volunteer of the Year
Winner - David Anderson, Douglas Macmillan Hospice. Download
our press release.
Highly
Commended - Lucy Pugh, British Red Cross and Jedah Corette, Save the
Children
eBay for Charity Excellence Award
1-20 shops
Winner - Pilgrim's Hospice
21+ shops
Oxfam
Shop Team of the Year
1-10 shops
Winner - Woodlands MS Resource and Respite Care
Centre - Melrosegate, York Shop
2nd - Pasque Charity - Stopsley Shop
11-20 shops
Winner - St Gemma's Hospice - Alwoodley, Leeds Shop
2nd - Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland - Falkirk Shop
21-100 shops
Winner - Princess Alice Hospice, Surbiton Shop
2nd - Shelter - Stockbridge, Edinburgh Shop
100+ shops
Winner - British Red Cross - Cheltenham Shop
2nd - Help the Aged - Blandford Shop
Most Valuable Item donated to a shop
Winner - Oxfam GB - Investment Portfolio worth £22,635. Download our press release.
2nd - Save the Children - Audi TT worth £12,500
3rd - St David's Foundation - Julian Trevelyan painting worth £8,000
Highest Average Profit per shop per week
1-10 shops
Winner - Force Cancer Charity
2nd - Earl Mountbatten Hospice
3rd - St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire)
11-20 shops
Winner - Compton Hospice
2nd - St Catherine's Hospice, Preston
3rd - St Gemma's Hospice
21-100 shops
Winner - St Peter's Hospice
2nd - Princess Alice Hospice
3rd - Sense Trading
100+ shops
Winner - Oxfam
2nd - British Heart Foundation
3rd - Cancer Research UK
Gladrags Challenge
Winners - Diana Davies, Save the Children and Colin Wakefield, St
Barnabas Hospice, Worthing
The WOW! Factor Award
Winner - North Devon Hospice, Barnstaple Shop
Association of Charity Shops Conference Bursaries 2007
The Association of Charity Shops offered a bursary scheme,
sp
onsored
by Choice Textile Ltd (an Associate Member), for Heads of Retail or
other senior decision makers who wished to attend the Annual Conference and
Exhibition, but who needed financial assistance to cover their fees. The bursaries each cover
the following:
- entire fee for a residential delegate including session attendance
- all meals and refreshments
- attendance at the Drinks Reception and Awards Dinner
- overnight accommodation.
Bursary places are open to applicants who work in the charity retail sector, and are specifically targeted at representatives from smaller organisations. Bursary recipients were selected via an application process and met the following criteria:
- your charity must run 3 or fewer charity shops
- this must be the first year you are attending the conference
4 bursaries were awarded in 2007 to the following charities (pictured left, with Choice Textile Ltd):
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