The social enterprise has been active for over 30 years now. It is working to provide a better lifestyle to the underserved sector in the country. It has stationed 4 charity shops across the town.
One of the charity shops is located on the Northumberland Avenue. An additional support center at the Oxford Road branch to assist those in need financially or with donation of specific items like cooking utensils or furniture. Particular focus is on rehabilitation of refugees and helping asylum seekers.
Moreover, the shops have been a good source to bring the community together. Customers drop in from time to time to chat with the volunteering members of the shops or bumping into someone they know.
The opening hours for the charity centers are set from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Typically, the stores close 15 minutes early on Tuesday and Friday. On Saturdays, the closing time is set at 4 p.m.
What Christian Community Action (CAA) Has Done Over 30 Years
- It sells high-quality clothes, books and other items that are donated to the store.
- Moreover, it sells bric-a-brac at a fraction of their retail price.
The idea behind the store is to gather donated items such as clothes and sell them at reasonable prices.
In-season shopping like the purchase of coat in winters can cost £40 or more at proper shops but the clothes donated directly to the store that are in good condition can save you some money.
Like other charity shops, this one is also meant for the community who can not afford to spend a great deal of money on items. These include clothing, shoes, houseware, kitchenware, mattresses, bedding, starter packs, tables, chairs and furniture. It provides them with a chance to buy something decent without burdening their pockets in any way.
However, organizations have raised concern on how the aware of clothing donation etiquette need to be made common. Although the items are meant to go to the less fortunate ones, it does not mean that they will wear anything, even the rags or stained clothes that some people add to donation bins clothing to thrift stores.
Charity Center Profit and Funding Challenges
According to Whitley branch manager, the store experience higher purchase levels and number of visits around the time when people get paid at the start of the month.
Some charity shops have prices higher than the others but in majority of the cases, including CCA, all the income made from the resale of the donated items is invested back into the community with particular attention to the support center at the Oxford Ranch which is the hub of most prominent charitable activities by the organization.
Nonetheless, the company has to keep in mind overhead charges. Such as the maintenance of transport vans, staff paystubs, electricity bills, charges for packaging or cleaning of items etc.
In winters, there is an additional e
