Charity shops beating the crunch

Charity shops in the UK seem to have beaten the economic slowdown as shoppers look for value away from the traditional High Street chains.

The profits of the top charity shops rose 7.4% to a total of £106.7m over the past year, according to the Charity Shops Survey 2008. Top of the charity money earners was Oxfam, with profits of more than £21m. The biggest growth came from the Salvation Army, which saw its profits surge 64%. The increases in charity shop profits contrast with falls across the rest of the retail sector as the credit crunch has started to bite. Recent figures from the British Retail Consortium show that retail sales values were down almost 1% from July 2008. Since the credit crunch started, clothing chain Ethel Austin and the shoe retailer Dolcis have gone into administration as shoppers have cut back on spending.

Defying the downturn
But while mainstream retailers have been struggling, some charity outlets have been preparing themselves for an increase in business. David Moir from the Association of Charity Shops said that his members were well placed to buck the economic downturn. "Trading conditions, as for all retailing, are now extremely tough," he said. "However, evidence from previous slowdowns is that charity shops are well placed to weather economic storms as cash-strapped consumers turn to them for value for money." "If charity shops continue to respond to consumer needs, then they are well-placed to come out of this downturn in a good position." he added.

The British Red Cross said in July that it is going to spend £12m over the next five years to improve its charity shops. It plans to open 20 new shops each year until 2012 and refit 140 existing shops.

CHARITY PROFITS

Oxfam £21m

Cancer Research UK £16m

British Heart Foundation £14.4.m

Salvation Army £6.2m

British Red Cross £5.1m

Source: Charity Shops Survey 2008

Via BBC

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7 The Most Gripping Ways To Persuade Patron To Make A Contribution

We all know that feelings do rule the whole promotion and market. They increase or decrease sales, widen or reduce bank operations, generates sport events, provoke donations… So, they are everywhere, control any and every sphere of our life. We must draw your attention that donations, grants and fundraising work most of all with the emotional appeals. Straightly depends on you and your appeal whether people respond your call or not as philanthropy is based on voluntary lines. We suggest you to look through the most powerful emotional appeals. Here are 7 of them. You may agree, disagree and add some of your observations and thoughts as human being is such a creature provided with a rich palette of emotions, feelings and sensations.

1. Faith. You know that people are strongly driven by the social, political or religious beliefs. You are in charge to discover what the usual donors` beliefs are and if they are keeping tunes with your message. Thus you can sure that your appeal finds its comeback.
   
   
2. Sympathy. You can create sympathy in your benefactor by producing a picture of somebody who needs help and support. If you use some visual methods like graphics, pictures, banners you must be very careful. As you can get rather different result if the presentation is repulsive and it arises just negative emotions not compassion. In this case you can lose your potential donor. Here your task is to find the correlation between empathy and disgust.
   
   
3. Ego’s Reward. Satisfying their ego it does not really mean that people are egotistic. May be in some way, but you could play on this feeling. It is rather a sense of comfort and welfare. This sentiment gives to the owner good mood and understanding that his inner views can find their implementation into the real life on the outside. Thus they are in harmony and sync with their desires from the one side and opportunities from the other. Seeing as most people enjoy thinking honourably of themselves you better talk to them in an appropriate gratifying manner. People have a tendency to live on the top of their emotions and especially to be higher than others. It satisfies their ego. Go for it.
   
   
4. Terror. Terror is a kind of self-protection form. Imagine for instance, a person donating money to cancer disease research does unconsciously want to save his own life in future. Fear is a popular and strong motivator. It is a tricky technique that is why you ought to present it delicately not to offend by offering so self-seeking motivation.
   
   
5. Principles. If you have something to tell to this world say it like "Let us change our world for good"! And if you are confident in your idea, then people will hear your appeal and go after you. The only thing is as it should be very convincing.
   
   
6. Gratitude. Everybody needs just a simple "thank you" for something done. Someone would be pleased with a certificate or diploma. People differ, but they have something in common. This thing is gratitude. People like to receive a feedback, a sort of rewarding for their help and contribution. It is a natural feeling. Well if they wait- thank them, if they offer their help- express your recognition, if they donate - congratulate them.
   
   
7. Happiness. Besides negative coloured appeals you can create a positive charity call. As it gives people feeling of satisfaction from helping others, contributing or granting. Of course having joy from donations patrons will donate again and again. Good luck!

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Charity song in anti-knife campaign

A group of actors and sports stars will record a charity song against knife crime after a recent spate of fatal stabbings across the country. The collaboration, under the name UK Flow, includes world champion boxers Johnny Nelson and Junior Witter.

The project - which has the support of Richard Caborn MP, Girls Aloud and players from the England football and rugby squads - hopes to raise money for a number of knife crime charities across the country. The song was the idea of Stephen Nicholas, an actor who starred in the footballing drama Dream Team.

Nicholas wanted to raise awareness about knife crime and its consequences after a number of young people were stabbed to death across the country. He said: "We just want to raise awareness. We haven't got any ulterior motive, our only motive is to stop kids dying."

He continued: "We all live in different parts of the country and kids are dying in all of those areas, not just in London. "Every single community around the country is having the same problems with knife crime."

On Tuesday afternoon, the 30-year-old will join with Nelson and Witter, Casualty actors Luke Bailey and Elyes Gabel, former Hollyoaks star Lee Otway, DJ and presenter Marvyn Williams, singer Steve Edwards and singing teacher Ali Heath Cook, to record the song at the Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield. Mr Caborn, Sheffield Central MP, will also be present for the recording of the song which has not yet been named.

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