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The Charity Shop Chat: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Charity Retail Consultancy
The Charity Shop Chat is a podcast for anyone who works in, volunteers with or simply loves charity retail. Hosted by Charlotte Greenwood and Mimi Cartwright, the show brings together honest conversations with the people who make the sector what it is - people working everyday support our high streets and create real lasting change in the non-profit sector. Each episode spotlights stories and teaching from behind the counter; the highs, the challenges, the moments that make it all worthwhile, and the realities of working in charity retail today. No jargon or glossing over the tough bits, just genuine conversations and shared learning.
Latest Episodes
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- 2 weeks ago45 min
Kat Maclennan: The £0 Shop Refit and How to Transform a Charity Shop Without Spending a Fortune
In this episode, visual merchandising expert Kat Maclennan shares practical ways to increase sales through better layouts, stronger stock presentation, improved customer flow and smarter use of existing fixtures, often with little or no spend. From common VM mistakes to budget-friendly success stories and myth busting advice, this episode is packed with ideas you can put into practice straight away.
- 3 weeks ago32 min
Lesley Kennedy and Marie Egerton: Creative Recruitment People Strategy in Charity Retail
Who's going to run tomorrow's charity shops?The job market is getting tougher, volunteers are harder to find, and succession planning is becoming a priority for more charities.Charlotte Greenwood and special guest host Hannah Weet from the Charity Retail Association are joined by Lesley Kennedy (RSPCA Derby & District) and Marie Egerton (St Rocco's Hospice) to discuss creative recruitment, attracting the right people, developing future leaders and building stronger retail teams.Packed with practical ideas and real life examples, this episode is full of inspiration for any charity retailer looking to strengthen their people strategy.
- Jul 1, 20261h 1m
Voices From the Charity Retail Conference 2026: Stronger Together
In this special conference edition of Charity Shop Chat, Charlotte is joined by guest co host Hannah Weet from the Charity Retail Association for a whistle stop tour of this year's CRA Conference.Rather than one guest, this episode brings together a whole range of voices from across the sector, delegates, speakers, and exhibitors, sharing their favourite sessions, biggest takeaways, and best ideas from the last two days.Whether you were at the conference with us, listening back afterwards, or couldn't make it this year, tune in for a flavour of the energy, ideas, and conversations shaping charity retail in 2026, and plenty of inspiration to take back to your own shop.The Charity Shop Chat podcast is powered by the Charity Retail Consultancy.
- Jun 25, 202639 min
CRA Chief Executive Robin Osterley: A Decade of Charity Retail Leadership
As Robin Osterley OBE prepares to retire as Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, we reflect on a defining chapter in charity retail leadership. In this special episode of Charity Shop Chat, Robin looks back on his years representing thousands of charity shops across the UK, from advocating on business rates and regulation to strengthening benchmarking and professional standards. We explore the sector's evolution and the challenges that still remain in the sector.Robin also shares what he's most proud of, what he thinks his successor will inherit, and why, even as costs rise and AI looms on the horizon, the people who work and volunteer in this sector remain its greatest strength.This is a conversation about leadership and the responsibility of shaping a sector that supports communities and plays a vital role in the circular economy. It is a thoughtful look at what has been achieved, and what comes next.Thank you, Robin, for your decade of dedication. All of us at the CRC wish you a very well earned retirement.
- Jun 18, 202642 min
Catriona and Louise: Building a Charity Shop That Puts Community First
This week on Charity Shop Chat, we're joined by Catriona from Hope Kitchen and Louise , shop coordinator at Restore, for an inspiring look at what happens when a group of local people in Oban, Scotland come together to rethink what a charity shop can be. We discuss the community led model behind Restore, how reuse, repair and skills building sit alongside affordable shopping, the realities of running a multi partner social enterprise, and why this kind of collaborative, people first approach feels so relevant for the future of charity retail.
- Jun 4, 202647 min
Julia Edwards and Anna Pashley: The Charity Retail Conference Everyone Will Be Talking About
This week on Charity Shop Chat, we're joined by Julia Edwards and Anna Pashley from the Charity Retail Association for a preview of this year's CRA Conference. We discuss the biggest themes shaping charity retail, what delegates can expect from this year's programme, the value of workshop learning streams and why the conference remains such an important opportunity for networking, inspiration and sector learning.
- May 20, 202639 min
Tacha, Hannah and Gareth: Pay What You Feel Initiative and Community Centred Retail
In this episode, Charlotte sits down with Tacha, Hannah, and Gareth from Ethical Boutique and the Safe Foundation in Cardiff, to explore how a charity shop can become a genuine hub for its community. From pay what you feel baskets that make the shop accessible to everyone and their in store café creates a place where people come to connect. Their approach puts people firmly at the centre of everything they do.Together, they share the stories behind their work, from supporting marginalised communities internationally to providing free training and volunteer opportunities closer to home. Tacha, Hannah, and Gareth talk openly about what it means to create a space where everyone feels welcome, and how that sense of belonging translates into real impact for the Safe Foundation's mission.
- May 15, 202627 min
Jen Graham: Bringing Charity Retail to the Mainstream
Jen Graham, known online as Charity Shop Girl, has built one of the most recognisable voices in charity retail. From viral social media content to appearances on This Morning and her role as an expert on the BBC's Shift the Thrift with Joanna Page, Jen is shining a light on the sector on a national scale. In this second part of our conversation, Jen talks to us about what actually drives people through charity shop doors, why social media is one of the most powerful and underused tools in the sector, and how mainstream visibility is changing the way people think about shopping secondhand.
About The Charity Shop Chat
The Charity Shop Chat is a podcast for anyone who works in, volunteers with or simply loves charity retail. Hosted by Charlotte Greenwood and Mimi Cartwright, the show brings together honest conversations with the people who make the sector what it is - people working everyday support our high streets and create real lasting change in the non-profit sector. Each episode spotlights stories and teaching from behind the counter; the highs, the challenges, the moments that make it all worthwhile, and the realities of working in charity retail today. No jargon or glossing over the tough bits, just genuine conversations and shared learning.
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