The UK’s largest preloved book retailer has gifted disability equality charity Scope’s charity shop on Dartford High Street a festive window-display makeover, the kind usually reserved for high-end brands.
This initiative from World of Books aims to give charity shops a lift during a period of tough trading conditions – the Charity Retail Association revealed earlier this year that 35% of its members are considering reducing paid hours to combat rising costs.
London-based visual merchandiser Sara Ulen, who has shaped premium and travel-retail environments for brands including Max Mara, Selfridges and Reiss, travelled to Dartford to create the festive window display.
The shop, run by a team of two staff members and an active group of 25 volunteers, was one of a handful of winners across the UK. The competition was open to charity retailers who use the World of Books B2B service, Sell Your Books Pro, where shops can scan in donated goods for extra revenue and clear space in their stores.
Kirsty Corbett, Shop Manager at Scope charity shop, Dartford, said: “I’d like to thank World of Books for their incredible support of Scope charity shops. Sara Ulen’s work is absolutely breathtaking, and we were so proud to have her stunning display in our window.
“A great window holds the gaze of customers walking past, and our customers regularly comment on our window displays. So having a professional come to work with us has given us some great ideas for the future, so we continue to draw customers in and raise vital funds.
“Every pound we raise at Scope goes towards supporting disabled people and creating an equal future, with them. We estimate that an average bag of donations is worth £15. That could fund a call to our free helpline, where disabled people get expert guidance and advice at a time they need support the most.”
World of Books’ initiative seeks to support charity shops in raising additional funds for important causes, while also promoting the environmental benefits of preloved retail and sustaining vibrant, thriving high streets.
The Dartford store regularly uses the Sell Your Books Pro service to sell and recycle excess books and media, making the most of their donations while freeing up space, a vital benefit following the busy Christmas period when stock levels surge.
Kama Villiers, Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Sell Your Books Pro, said: “We’re thrilled that the Scope team at the Dartford store found the final window so impressive, and we hope the expertise from Sara will continue to inspire ideas for future displays.
“It’s such a pleasure to help our charity retailers wherever we can, whether it is scanning in excess books or helping them create a wonderful and vibrant community space, so they remain profitable on the high street.”
The new window will be on display across the Christmas period, helping the team raise valuable funds for vital work in supporting disabled people and their families.
To find out more about World of Books, and the Sell Your Books Pro scanning service for charity retailers, visit: https://sell.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/pro/sell-your-books
To find out more about Scope, visit: https://www.scope.org.uk/
