Air quality assessment with Dyson
June 20, 2024
GWAAC’s Keynsham Shop Opens
June 27, 2024
As we reach the midpoint of 2024, we are pleased to share the progress of our shops. Over the past six months, we’ve had a lot to celebrate with our high street stores, from community open days to implementing new initiatives!
With our high street presence continuing to grow, here is a snapshot of 2024 so far, and a look forward to what’s yet to come…
Cinderford and Thornbury: six months on
Since Cinderford and Thornbury opened their doors for the very first time back in December 2023, our shops have become an integral part of their communities. The warm welcome we received on the opening days has only grown warmer over time as residents and visitors embrace our ongoing lifesaving mission through our shops.
Cinderford has now held its networking day on Friday, June 21, and Thornbury will soon announce its own event for those who couldn't make it to the opening day, providing another opportunity to meet the wider charity team.
To give you an idea of what we have achieved together since opening, the Cinderford and Thornbury shops have sold over £67,000 in donated items with gift-aided items equating to approximately a quarter of our revenue. To put that in the context of potentially lifesaving missions, with each of our call-outs costing £2,200 on average, this means the introduction of our two new shops has helped fund approximately 30 missions!
“Since opening the Thornbury shop in mid-December, the community and town of Thornbury have welcomed us with open arms and have supported us as a charity shop and a wider charity. It was wonderful to meet so many people personally affected by the work that GWAAC does, as most of them only live a stone's throw from the airbase in Almondsbury.
Thank you to Thornbury for the wonderful few months of getting to know you all and being a part of your community.” – Cherry, former Thornbury Interim Shop Manager, Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
From finding pre-loved treasures to seeing friendly faces, our Cinderford and Thornbury shops continue to thrive thanks to, the incredible generosity and spirit of our supporters.
Our first shop in Bath & North East Somerset
In April, we opened our eighth shop doubling our high street presence in the space of just over a year. Our newest shop on Moorland Road is the only air ambulance charity shop in Bath!
The launch event took place on Tuesday 23 April and saw volunteers, the local community and local influencers come together to express gratitude for the hard work that went into opening GWAAC’s first shop of 2024. The Vice Chair of B&NES Council, Karen Walker, had the honour of officially opening the shop by cutting the ribbon.
Within a few months, our Bath shop has become a popular store on the high street, welcoming shoppers and retail volunteers alike.
Gloucester Northgate shop: celebrating one year of impact
Amongst the shop openings, we’ve been celebrating shop anniversaries too! On Friday 15 March 2024, we enjoyed celebrating the first anniversary of our Gloucester Northgate shop.
Over the past year, the Gloucester Northgate shop has been bustling with community engagement and initiatives. From the installation of a public access defibrillator in collaboration with the Sam Polledri Foundation to partnering with the Rotary Club for the Gloucester 9 Project, we've been committed to supporting our community's well-being.
Additionally, our collaboration with Jolt, a dedicated hub for arts, creativity, and collaboration, resulted in monthly upcycling workshops. And participating in the Runaway Reindeer Trail and Auction allowed us to work with other local charities whilst bringing some fun to Gloucestershire shoppers over the Christmas period.
Looking ahead: Keynsham shop is now open
As we look ahead to the second half of 2024 and beyond, we are excited to announce that our second shop in B&NES has now opened on the bustling high street of Keynsham as of Tuesday, June 25, 2024!
Keynsham Shop ribbon cut on opening day
Your support is vital to the success of our shop; generous donations will help us fill our shelves, while the invaluable assistance of the local community and volunteers will ensure everything runs smoothly on a daily basis.
Storefront of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity's Cinderford Shop on open day
The local community have been so welcoming. We are very grateful for the generosity shown, with both donations and support, in our shop's lead-up and subsequent opening. Our volunteers have been amazing with some finding that experience gained within our store has enabled them to find local employment!
Crew in attendance for the unveiling of Thornbury shop
Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is an amazing charity. It's a beautiful space inside with lots of room to move around. I truly hope this will be a success for Moorland Road.
Charlie Bear visiting Gloucester Boutique for the one year anniversary
The new shop looks amazing, it's bright, colourful and cheerful. Thank you to everyone who's welcomed us to the high street, I'm really excited to be part of this amazing charity and we're all just so happy to be back in amongst the team.
Customers shopping in Keynsham Shop looking for their next GWAAC gem
Join us in making a difference
As we continue to expand our retail presence further, we're reminded that none of this would be possible without your support. Whether through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading the word, each contribution helps us continue to provide critical care to those in urgent need. Together, we can make a difference.
If you’d like to get involved with any of our shops and are considering volunteering, please visit the volunteer page on our website or get in touch directly with our Volunteer Coordinator, Sully, at Ursula.Sullivan@gwaac.com.
