Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland. The New Ambition and Community Hubs - Jay Hogarty
Wed, Nov 8th 2017 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
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Our speaker this week was Jay Hogarty, Director of Retail at Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHASS).
Jay joined CHASS as Head of Retail in 2009 and has since overseen a substantial expansion of the Charity’s retail operation to a total of 37 shops of which 20 are classed as boutiques and 10 are discount stores.
CHASS have a relatively small charity shop operation and Jay has sought to mark out a niche market, making their boutique shops as attractive as possible. Jay maintains the better the shop, the better the items donated. He has also sought to reach out to the public by making some of their shops into community hubs by offering a seating area with free tea/coffee and free wi-fi and in some locations a free meeting room at the back of the shop. In Dundee they won the best shop-fit of the year award by the Dundee Charity Retail association.
CHASS market a small range of their own merchandise such as Christmas cards and diaries and Scottish products. A range of these products was on display at the meeting.
Asked about costs, Jay said that they paid a full market rent for their premises but were able to get rate relief up to 80%.
He went on to set out CHASS activities to promote health and well-being, such as funding research as well as funding NHS stroke nurses, training including on-line training and a help-line.
The members thanked Jay for what had been a most interesting and informative presentation.
Jay joined CHASS as Head of Retail in 2009 and has since overseen a substantial expansion of the Charity’s retail operation to a total of 37 shops of which 20 are classed as boutiques and 10 are discount stores.
CHASS have a relatively small charity shop operation and Jay has sought to mark out a niche market, making their boutique shops as attractive as possible. Jay maintains the better the shop, the better the items donated. He has also sought to reach out to the public by making some of their shops into community hubs by offering a seating area with free tea/coffee and free wi-fi and in some locations a free meeting room at the back of the shop. In Dundee they won the best shop-fit of the year award by the Dundee Charity Retail association.
CHASS market a small range of their own merchandise such as Christmas cards and diaries and Scottish products. A range of these products was on display at the meeting.
Asked about costs, Jay said that they paid a full market rent for their premises but were able to get rate relief up to 80%.
He went on to set out CHASS activities to promote health and well-being, such as funding research as well as funding NHS stroke nurses, training including on-line training and a help-line.
The members thanked Jay for what had been a most interesting and informative presentation.
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