Thrifty shopping is changing the lives of seriously ill children

With the cost-of-living skyrocketing and more people moving towards living a sustainable lifestyle our retail shops are proving a popular option for shoppers.

Our seven charity shops, and our eBay store, are offering a sustainable and ethical option for people whilst generating the essential income we need to fund our specialist care and support for seriously ill children and their families.

In a year when the retail sector has struggled, Haven House has seen a significant growth in our retail income, not only outperforming the sector, but recording our biggest retail revenue in the hospice’s history.

Thanks to you, our amazing supporters and our local communities, our retail income has topped £1million – vital income that has kept our hospice care services running.

Raising this income is no mean feat, and the last 18 months have been extremely challenging, so a huge thank you for supporting our shops in Chingford, North Chingford, Crouch End, Epping, Leytonstone, Loughton and Romford. Your donations really matter.

Head of Retail Matthew Lord said: "We have a huge amount to be proud off - and in many respects we are bucking the trend. Many high street names have become a casualty of the pandemic, but our charity shops have a business model that is thriving and more relevant than ever.

“Consumer habits and retail trends have shifted significantly. There is a real appetite for charity shopping currently. People are wanting greener retail, to shop locally and more affordably – and this is what our hospice shops offer. More and more consumers are choosing to buy second-hand goods as a means of reducing their impact on the planet which is one factor supporting our growth.”

Consumer accountability has considerably shifted over the last few years. According to the Charity Retail Association, in 2018/19 [last full year pre-COVID] 339,000 tonnes of textiles alone were kept out of landfill by charity retailers and the sector helped to raise £331 million for many worthwhile causes.

Matt continued: “We have learnt lessons from the last two years and have recognised that an online presence can significantly support instore revenue and help us reach new customers. O

“There has been a refocus on community; and we are fortunate that we are hugely supported by our local communities. Our aim now is to continue to innovate and to develop our shops into community hubs. We have already run several craft and social events instore, which have proved particularly popular.

“Our success is testament to our wonderful customers, those who donate goods and our incredible team of retail volunteers who keep our shops running throughout the year. The shops really do make such a difference to the work of the hospice. We hope the public will continue to discover pre-loved treasures in our shops.”

You can support our shops in several ways. If you are decluttering or having a clear-out, please don’t throw away your unwanted items – donate them to Haven House. Maybe you could volunteer in one of our seven shops, as a delivery person or in our eBay office. Whatever skills you have or want to develop, we have a role to suit. Find out more here.

Register your interest to volunteer