Birmingham's St Joseph Homes: transforming show homes into hospice care funds
From show home to hospice care: When Birmingham’s St Joseph’s show home furniture raises vital funds for local hospice care.
Finding the perfect home for showhome furniture
Builders and developers have several options for their showhome furniture once it has served its purpose of wowing potential buyers. It can be sold with the property, used in another property for another open day, or sold to the public at slightly discounted prices.
But Berkeley's newest brand, St Joseph Homes, did something a little different with their showhome furniture after their Birmingham Jewellery Quarter open day. They decided to do something to help the local community by donating all the furniture to a local charity.
A Good Thing makes another perfect match
When a business wants to support the local community, there’s no better place to turn than A Good Thing, and that’s precisely what St Joseph Homes did.
The firm uploaded a long list of top-quality showhome items including bar stools, sideboards, table-and-chair sets, bucket chairs, beds, bedside tables, a wardrobe, a sofa, a coffee table and a TV unit. The best part was that they were all brand spanking new!
Most charities rely heavily on donations. When businesses and individuals give items to charities, it allows them to continue their often life-changing work. Some donations provide resources needed for the running of the organisation, while others are used to raise vital funds.
However, there's no denying that many donations received by charity shops are well-used items that have seen better days. While they are greatly appreciated, the simple fact is that the better condition the donations are in, the more they can sell for.
So when the St Giles Hospice charity shop spotted St Joseph’s generous donation, they jumped at the chance to get their hands on it.
St Giles Hospice strikes gold
Deborah Armstrong, retail development manager at St Giles Hospice, is a big fan of A Good Thing. She loves the concept and is always checking the latest notifications in the hope of securing generous donations from local businesses to support the individuals who desperately rely on St Giles Hospice’s valuable services.
St Giles Hospice provides care for local individuals living with terminal illnesses, as well as their loved ones. It costs nearly £10 million annually to deliver their specialised care services. Given that less than 25% of this is funded by the Government, the hospice heavily depends on donations and local community support.
As retail development manager, Deborah plays a hugely important role in generating these essential funds. She looks after shop refits and sources new locations to expand the charity’s retail estate, including the recent addition of their 22nd shop. St Giles Hospice is also in the midst of giving all its shops a much-needed refurb, as most of them haven’t had as much as a lick of paint in 20 years. And all this with access to just one van!
When Deborah saw a notification about the donations St Joseph Homes posted on A Good Thing, she knew she had to go for it. The platform is so easy to use that she could do it there and then.
Furniture on display in one of the St Giles’ retail stores.
You just have to click
Deborah explained,
"I’m not very good at tech at all, but there’s nothing to it, you just have to click."
Using the request text area, she explained what this quality furniture would be used for and the difference it would make. The next thing she knew, the process had worked perfectly and St Giles Hospice’s request was accepted - they were getting the donation.
Despite the challenges of being in the middle of a multi-store refurb with access to only one van, Deborah knew they couldn’t miss out, so it took some planning, but she arranged the collection of the wonderful furniture being offered.
St Giles Hospice received most of what was on offer and put it all to great use. Some items were used in the welfare and office areas to support the staff and volunteers, but the majority was split between the two shops. They knew that selling such high-quality items would raise much-needed funds.
Donations from A Good Thing can significantly support charities like Deborah’s. As she explains,
"there's almost nothing we wouldn't want."
Matchmaking - spreading its way around the country
Birmingham is a bustling city flooded with thriving businesses. So, it's exciting to see that A Good Thing’s magic is starting to take hold. Thanks to a development project in the heart of the city giving to a neighbouring charity, we’re excited about the future of A Good Thing across the West Midlands.
Is your business based in the West Midlands, can you do A Good Thing?