4 charity Christmas pop-up shops for 2021
Here are four Christmas pop ups raising funds for charities around the UK, from Choose Love’s in London’s Carnaby Street, to Rowcroft Hospice’s in Newton Abbot, Devon.
Choose Love pop-up for refugees
Choose Love has opened a London pop up store selling real items for refugees facing freezing weather this winter.
Shoppers can purchase items like winter coats, hot meals and sleeping bags. They can also purchase life-changing bundles that support a range of people and needs; emergency housing for vulnerable people on the move, legal support and mental health support. Choose Love also has specific bundles for those fleeing and arriving in the UK from Afghanistan, LGBTQIA+ communities, people on the US-Mexico border and unaccompanied children.
Purchases go to refugees and displaced people around the world, distributed by Choose Love’s local partners.
The shop is on London’s Carnaby Street and is open everyday until 24 December and items can also be bought online.
Selfridges pre-loved toy pop-up
This Christmas, Selfridges is offering a pre-loved toy pop-up in collaboration with London-based charity The TOY Project as part of its Project Earth RESELLFRIDGES resale platform.
Open from 18 October until 23 December, the pop-up is in residence in the Selfridges Toy Department in Selfridges London, and features everything from collectable figures, to antique teddies, and classic family-favourite games.
As part of Selfridges’ Project Earth commitment to exploring circular retail models, The TOY Project pop-up will be the latest initiative to join its permanent resale platform RESELLFRIDGES. Customers will be able to shop pre-loved Christmas gifts for the family, as well as help the charity provide toys to children and families in need.
Selfridges customers are invited to donate toys at the pop-up every weekend until 18 December. These toys will either be sold back through the Selfridges pop up or the TOY Project’s north London store or given a second life and donated to children through the charity. Profits raised from The TOY Project are used to fund workshops and projects such as toy and book libraries and community events.
Jane Garfield, Founder of The TOY Project, said:
“Parents spend hundreds of millions of pounds on new toys for their children in the UK each year, many of which get little use. Recycling toys helps fund the TOY Project’s work but importantly it also reduces the number of unwanted toys that end up in landfill and in our oceans. We are so excited to be partnering with Selfridges and to be bringing the much-loved TOY Project shopping experience to Oxford Street.”
Emmaus vintage pop-up shop
An Emmaus Vintage Pop-up Shop has opened at The Weavers Factory gallery in Uppermill, Greater Manchester.
The Weavers Factory is gifting the use of its gallery space to the charity with the Emmaus Mossley Pop-up Shop open each week until the end of November, prior to the gallery reopening in January 2022.
Nigel Durkan, Manager at The Weavers Factory, said:
“It is a pleasure to welcome back our friends from Emmaus Mossley. We have supported the charity since The Weavers Factory first opened and we’re proud to be able to help them in their efforts to support people who have experienced homelessness.”
The Weavers Factory is a grade II listed contemporary art gallery with a gift shop, workshop, tea bar, garden and two galleries. Since opening in 2019, the gallery has already supported Emmaus Mossley by offering the space for pop-up shops and by raising funds through an auction of gallery items.
Hazel Hodkinson, Retail Manager at Emmaus Mossley, said:
“Our Pop-up Shop is filled with a hand-picked assortment of vintage furniture, homewares, lamps, pottery, books, tools, retro fabrics and craft supplies. We’ll be adding new stock each week and the range of interesting items on offer will evolve over the next two months.”
The Emmaus Vintage Pop-up Shop is taking place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and proceeds from items sold will go to support the community of formerly homeless people who live and work at Emmaus Mossley.
Rowcroft Hospice Christmas pop-up
Rowcroft Hospice is sprinkling a little festive cheer in Newton Abbot with its Christmas pop-up shop.
The shop’s product range comprises entirely new goods featuring all things festive from gift ideas and stocking fillers through to Christmas cards and seasonal decorations.
All of the shop’s profits will go to Rowcroft, funding specialist care and support to local patients and families in the community.
Caroline Wannell, Rowcroft Hospice’s Head of Retail said:
“As a charity operating in this challenging retail environment, we’re radiating a little Christmas sparkle to raise vital funds to care for our local patients and families.”
“Our pop-up shop selling new goods is the first of its kind for us as a charity and it perfectly complements our other 15 high street and community shops that sell predominantly pre-loved goods. In our much-loved Emporium shop in Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, you can find an eclectic mix of vintage, retro and modern goods including quirky finds and ‘last chance to buys’ at bargain prices, so please pop along for some amazing offers including gorgeous pre-loved clothing and accessories such as jewellery, hats, bags and scarves, plus homeware, toys, and books.”
For those unsure of what to buy, it’s also offering gift vouchers in a choice of denominations and redeemable online or at any of Rowcroft’s shops or cafes.