The only multi-charity gift card is a social enterprise that helps people give more sustainably, buy more consciously and support good causes.
PHOTO CAPTION: Companions Frank, Ben, Micky, Rob, Shania
Emmaus Hertfordshire is the first Emmaus community to join The Charity Shop Gift Card — the only nationally accepted, multi-retailer gift card that can be spent exclusively in charity shops.
The Charity Shop Gift Card is a social enterprise that has been developed and launched in association with the Charity Retail Association.
Emmaus Hertfordshire is now selling and accepting it in its four shops, which supports people who have experienced homelessness with a place to call home for as long as they need it and meaningful work in one of their social enterprises
The gift card for good is already being accepted by Keech Hospice locally and in the national network of shops run by Shelter, Marie Curie, Crisis, YMCA and The Children’s Society.
The scheme will support the growing second-hand revolution, which is helping to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. It will also help national and regional charities boost their own income by giving them their first collective opportunity to tap into the £7billion-a-year gift card market.
The Charity Retail Association has 450 members with 9,000 shops, and together they are already diverting over 300,000 tonnes of textiles away from landfill and contributing over £300million to help fund the work of their parent charities.
As a social enterprise, a minimum of 65% of the gift card scheme’s surplus will go towards funding charity gift cards for good causes to donate to the communities they are supporting.
The gift cards themselves are recyclable and compostable and are available from participating charities and at supermarkets and other major high street retailers. They can be purchased as e-vouchers from www.thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk,
The Charity Shop Gift Card is a member of Social Enterprise UK, and the Gift Card and Voucher Association.
Gemma Beckett, Business Development for Emmaus Hertfordshire, said: “We really love the concept of the gift card and know our supporters will get behind it. As people look to shop more sustainably, the gift card is a great option for consumers to shop preloved with a huge number of charity shops across Hertfordshire”.
Lee Fellows, Co-founder of The Charity Shop Gift Card, said: “The work that Emmaus communities do to help people that would otherwise be homeless with not just a place to live but meaningful work is incredible so we’re thrilled to welcome Emmaus Hertfordshire to the scheme.”
For more information:
www.thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk
https://emmaus.org.uk/hertfordshire/
ENDS
Notes to editors
*Valuing the UK Gift Card Industry 2020 report was compiled by the Gift Card and Voucher Association (GCVA)
Key statistics from the Charity Retail Association — www.charityretail.org.uk/key-statistics
- Charity shops contribute £331million a year to parent charities
- Charity shops save councils £31million a year in waste disposal charges by divert 339,000 tonnes of textiles away from landfill or incineration
- Charity shops have more than 25,500 FTE employees
Find out where The Charity Shop Gift Card is being accepted across the UK at www.thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk/stores
