Mental health charity celebrate win at the Retail Week Awards
Mind is believed to be the first charity in history to take home an award from the prestigious event
Leading mental health charity, Mind, are celebrating as they took home the ‘Best New Store Award’ for their Carnaby shop at the prestigious Retail Week Awards.
The Mind Carnaby team attended the awards on Thursday 31 March and were thrilled to have won their first nomination in what is believed to be the first charity win in the awards 28 year history.
The Mind shop in Carnaby is a unique, boutique shop on one of London’s most iconic streets - the perfect place for shoppers who are thrifty and love to find a hidden designer garment or vintage treasure. Since it opened in October 2022, the shop has continued to fight for better mental health and champion Mind’s commitment to the community and the planet.
Andrew Vale, Director of Retail at Mind, said:
“We are thrilled to have won the Best New Store Award and are so thankful to the Retail Week Awards for their recognition of our Mind Carnaby shop.
“When we opened the shop on Ganton Street last October, we felt privileged to be the first charity shop opening in the area. Mind Carnaby has provided us with the opportunity to challenge the status quo by providing a charity shop that is unique to any other currently on the high street, with its curated collection of preloved vintage and designer stock. We are so grateful to all our staff, volunteers and shoppers who help us fight for better mental health and champion our commitment to the community and the planet.
“Our 160 Mind shops are embedded in the heart of local communities and rely on over 3,000 passionate volunteers across the country. This year, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, our shops generated an amazing £21million.
“The events of the past few years have had a devastating effect on the nation’s mental health. We are in the middle of a mental health crisis and that’s why we need the public’s support now more than ever. When you make a purchase in one of our shops you are helping to fund the charity’s vital work such as the Mind Infoline, information and advice services, and the campaigning Mind does to support the one in four people who experience a mental health problem every year.”
Charlotte Hardie, Editor in Chief at Retail Week, said:
“Judges were hugely impressed by its carefully curated collection of perfectly preloved vintage designer stock donated by local communities and corporate partners. Although other charities have launched boutique formats, the judges loved the welcoming space where mental health is at its very heart, whilst also achieving great commercial results.”
