shop talk 9

At the heart of healthy communities. Issue 9 Winter 2010

Shop talk

2 Shop Talk | Issue 9 Winter 2010

Shop Talk is published by Attend Retail: Email: [email protected] Tel: 0845 4500285 Web:www.attend.org.uk

Written and edited by: Liberty Rowley at Attend

Design by: Matt Kevan at Attend

Send your letters, retail news, questions, feature ideas and feedback to: [email protected]

Advertising If you represent a company whose services may benefit Attend Retail’s member outlets please contact: Email: [email protected] Tel: 0845 4500285 Web:www.attend.org.uk

In this issue:

Attend, 11-13 Cavendish Square London, W1G 0AN Tel: 0845 450 0285 Fax: 0207 307 2571 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.attend.org.uk

©2010 Attend. A company limited by guarantee registered in England under no. 5713403 and in Scotland under no. SCO39237. Registered Charity no. 1113067.

Welcome to Shop Talk!

Contact details

Shop Talk

• Meet the new team• A Healthy Option• Attend Retail Awards 2010• Winning plannogrammes• Friends news• Gift Aid it• New ward trollies

As December fast approaches it signals the end of what has been a very exciting period for us. In August we took over responsibility for running Attend Retail and so far it has proved to be a very interesting and enjoyable experience.

Since coming on board we have been able to help a number of groups in relation to a variety of retail topics such as:• Trolleys• Shop upgrades• Equipment• Profit margins• Suppliers / products• Design and layoutas well as supporting a group in reaching their decision as to whether to sign up to running a café in a new build hospital.

Having an opportunity to meet with members at the Attend AGM also gave us a clearer picture of where our focus should lie in the early part of 2011. Initially we will be concentrating on:• Promoting a new trolley which is both user

friendly and fit for purpose• Producing a stock control system which

can be used with trolley services• Sourcing an EPOS system which meets

basic needs and can be expanded as the

need for more functions is identified• Working on a “Gift Aid” system which will

be suitable for use by members in shops which deal with donated goods

• Producing full sets of systems and procedures suitable for use in shops and cafés

• Working with Attend Creative on creating a ‘look’ for cafés.

We will of course continue to provide support on any retail topic by telephone or visit your unit if invited.

We hope to meet many more of you next year but in the meantime we would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.

So until the next issue it’s goodbye from me and it’s goodbye from him.

Pat Hunter

Darren Sterling

Darren Sterling and Pat Hunter leading a workshop at Attend AGM 2010. Photo by Veneice Daniel.

3Shop Talk | Issue 9 Winter 2010

Attend Healthy Options

Attend Healthy Options promotes healthy snacking in partnership with the Department of Health’s 5-A-Day and Change 4 Life campaigns. We do this through our network of Friends Shops, Cafés and Trolleys and with the help of our volunteer Healthy Options Champions across London and the South-East.

Over 60 outlets have signed up to help promote healthy snacking to hospital staff, visitors and patients.

The campaign focuses on these six areas:

• The availability of fresh fruit daily in convenient, impulse driven positions within Friends outlets

• Promoting and raising awareness of snacks and drinks that form part of your 5-A-Day to those with responsibility of buying stock for their outlet

• An evolving fully researched supplier and qualifying product directory, available to download from our website

• An easy to understand and implement in-store promotion system that identifies healthy products to the consumer. Utilising subsidised display units that are both attractive and suitable, posters, shelf edge strips, labelling, point of sale and “Pick Me” staff badges

• The creation of a healthy community culture within your outlet by visually recognising sales of Healthy Options products.

• Collecting and promoting success stories through our website, store surveys, social media, in-store celebration and promotion events to mark milestones and add voice to the campaign.

Find out moreFor more information on the Attend Healthy Option project and how to get involved visit: www.attend.org.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 0845 4500285

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AHealthyOption

News

To help youAttend has developed a range of services and resources to help you promote Healthy Options in your Friends outlet:

• Healthy Options product positioning maps, for walk-in, kiosk/counter top and trolley shop style outlets. Following these handy maps and adapting slightly to you specific location will help to drive impulse sales and give every opportunity for your customers to be encouraged to choose a healthy option

• Products that form part of your 5-A-Day will be highlighted in the Attend Retail promotion sheets which are issued every two months

• We will actively meet with companies that provide healthy products that fit with the Healthy Option guidelines and add all those that fit to the online directory

• We have sourced display units that fit with most of the outlets signed up to the project, from floor standing to counter top units. For kiosks and cafés, natural baskets that don’t take up too much space but do allow a Healthy Option to be placed in strong Impulse positions

• We will provide help with writing of media releases via templates on the website and ideas of how to shout loudest about you’re achievements.

Subsidised wood and basket display stands are available, and a wide range of Healthy Option products.


Attend Retail Awards

The winners of the Retail Awards were presented with their certificates at the Attend AGM on the 20th October, by Rob Sharp of Mars.

Attend Retail Category Champion Award

Confectionery - sponsored by Mars Winners: Friends of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Stanmore

Collected by Mr Alistair Todd

Soft Drinks - sponsored by GSK

Winners: Guild of the Royal Hospital of St Bartholemew

Highly commended: Freeman Hospital League of Friends

The Wow! Factor Award (Visually most

impressive outlet)Winners: Freeman Hospital League of Friends

The Shop is a bright, open and inviting location with a warm and friendly service and various displays showing everything a patient, visitor or member of staff may need, from a toothbrush to a luxury box of chocolates.

Highly commended: Friends of Southampton General Hospital

Highly commended: Friends of Ashfield Community Hospital

Volunteering Award For Highest Average retail Volunteer Hour Contribution per group per week. Winners: Friends of Southampton General Hospital = 561 hours

Retail Volunteer of the Year AwardWinner: Alwyn Smith, Freeman Hospital League of Friends

Alwyn has been volunteering in the Freeman Hospital Friends Shop for 28 years, coming in seven days a week to run the shop. It was not until after her 80th birthday, having set up and started running the new shop, that Alwyn decided that she could treat herself by having an odd day off and coming in on alternate weekends.

“After many years Alwyn always rises to the challenge and always goes the extra mile.” Joan Duckett, Chairman

Highly commended: Rhona Southall, LFMKH Ltd

Highly commended: Joyce Tebbutt, Friends of Northampton General Hospital

Highly commended: Robina (Bobbie) Ward, Friends of Southampton General Hospital

Highly commended: Wendy Shaw, Burton Hospitals League of Friends

Paid Person of the YearWinner: Mary Browne, Friends of University Hospital Lewisham

Mary was already a volunteer in the old Friends Shop, when in 2009 the Friends opened a new “New to You” shop. An Opportunities for Volunteering (OFV) grant allowed the Friends of University Hospital Lewisham to recruit Mary as the Shop Manager. Mary took the barren

area of the reception and turned it into a vibrant, colourful and modern outlet selling clothes, books and jewellery. Mary works many more than her prescribed hours and often comes in on the weekends too.

“Her unique style and good taste have made our shop a place to visit from all parts of the community.” Sandra Dodds, Friends of University Hospital Lewisham.

Highly commended: Julie Forbes, LFMKH Ltd

Attend Retail Award winners 2010!


Attend Retail Awards

Category Champion plannogrammes

Select the right range • De-list your slower selling lines • Don’t waste valuable shelf space on products that don’t drive sales

Best sellers in best sites • 70% of confectionery is

bought on Impulse so ensure your customers can see your best sellers

Site confectionery in high traffic flow • The more people

that pass the display the more sales you are likely to make

Group by product category • Help your customers - the

consumer shops by product category not by supplier

Multiface the best sellers • Lack of availability =

lost sales!

Allocate space according to sales

The Attend Retail Category Champion Awards saw Friends Shops visited by experts from Mars and GSK to implement the latest plannogrammes designed to boost sales.

“It is so important to plan your space to make it easy for your customers to shop.” says Brett Williams of GSK. He gave the participating shops the following advice on displaying soft drinks:

There are five different types of soft drink: Flavoured carbonated drinks, Colas, Energy and Sports drinks, Juices and Water. When customers are choosing a soft drink they are influenced by varying needs and occasions. Arrange your chiller according to these categories to ensure your customers find the soft drink they want quickly and easily.

It is important to get the layout of your soft drinks right, for every soft drink you sell, you would have to sell three times as many crisps and snacks to make to same sales!

Find out moreFor more plannogrammes and advice on displaying your products, visit the Knowledge Bank at: www.attend.org.uk

This members only area of our website contains loads of useful information covering everything you need to know to run a successful charity; including lots of advice on running a retail outlet.

If you can’t find the information you are looking for, let us know and we will do our best to answer your questions.

www.attend.org.uk

Rob Sharp of Mars helped the Friends Shops who entered the confectionary category with display ideas for all sizes of shop. Using the Mars confectionary plannogrammes can increase your sales by a massive 12%.

Flavoured Carbonated

Colas Energy and Sports

Juice and Water


News

The League of Friends shop in St Helier Hospital has been officially re-opened by ‘Ab Fab’ actress June Whitfield following a £65,000 refurbishment.

The shop, which sells magazines, books, sandwiches, gifts and many other items, has been extended so that patients, visitors and staff can choose from a wider selection of goods. In addition, wider, automatic doors have been installed to improve access for people with disabilities.

June Whitfield, who is president of the St Helier and Sutton League of Friends said: “I was delighted to be invited to officially open the shop, but all of the credit should go to

the wonderful League of Friends volunteers. It is their hard work and commitment that has raised the money for these improvements. I would encourage anyone who is visiting the hospital to drop in and have a look – you never know what you might find to buy.”

Chair of the League of Friends, Val Brundle said: “I’m sure I speak for all of our volunteers when I say we just love the new shop! It’s such an improvement on the old one – we’ve got new flooring, new walls, new fridges and an even bigger stock room to store our gifts and goodies.

“Having more room means that we can offer our patients, visitors and staff an even greater choice. We’ll be launching a survey soon to find out what people want to see on our shelves, so keep an eye out for that.

“Although we worked hard to raise the money for the refurbishment, it truly was worth every penny. I would like to say a huge thank you to June for coming to cut the ribbon for us.”

The extension and refurbishment was funded by the trading arm of the League of Friends, meaning that it came from profits generated in their shop and tea bars and not from donations.

New hospital shop is ‘Absolutely Fabulous’

June Whitfield cuts the ribbon with Val Brundle

Patients at Alnwick Infirmary are benefiting from up to £25,000 worth of equipment and improvements, thanks to the League of Friends over the last 18 months.

The equipment includes: a specialist chair for patients recovering from stroke, a device which helps prevent elderly patients falling, four machines which measure blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation levels and equipment for the physiotherapy gym.

The money has also paid for new seating in patient waiting areas, TVs for each patient bay and children’s toys for the minor injuries unit waiting area.

The money was raised by the League of Friends’ shop, ward trolley service, coffee mornings and a weekly bridge club.

Julie Button, Alnwick Infirmary’s matron, said: “We are grateful that such a lot of money has been spent to improve the hospital environment for patients at Alnwick Infirmary. We would like to thank the League of Friends for their continued support which is greatly appreciated by the staff and patients at Alnwick Infirmary.”

Jack Deeble, chairman of Alnwick League of Friends, said: “This is not our money, it has been raised by the community and we are very grateful for everyone’s generosity.”

Infirmary says: Thank you Friends!

Weston-Super-Mare Hospitals League of Friends have donated the £50,000 required by their hospital for a new digital breast scanner. The Hospital had started raising funds for the equipment themselves in 2008, but were struggling to get the last £50,000 they needed. The Friends stepped in and June Stephen, the League’s Chair presented Chris Creswick, Chairman of the Area Health Trust with the cheque at a ceremony during the group’s AGM in July. The state of the art scanner will improve the chances of detecting the early stages of breast cancer.

The Friends support the Hospital with donations on a regular basis. This year the group have donated £53,000 to the hospital through a scheme in which wards and departments apply for the funds to buy new equipment up to £3,000 per item.

The Friends raise funds for the hospital through their Friends Shop in the hospital and through their ‘Tuesday Stalls’ in the hospital foyer selling cakes, jams, bric-a-brac and books. They were also the recipients of four large legacies this year.

Photo: Archant South West. June Stephen, Dr Sue King, Lorene Read, John Bennett, David Boughey, Brian Parfitt, Eric Sluman and Chris Creswick.

Friends donate £50,000 for breast scanner


Great Value PaperbacksFrom the country’s leading book wholesaler

Invoice price

to stores is

£1.25 per

unit with a

suggested

retail price

of £1.99 per

unit!!!

• Bestselling Authors • Supplied in Boxes of 80• Maximum of 3 copies of any title in

a box of 80 Order• Constantly changing titles• Local Merchandiser.

Contact Adam Walker on 01535 682928 for further details.

Book spinners are available for the books. Speak to Adam for details.


News

Two charity shops run by the Estuary League of Friends have just introduced Gift Aid, which will be applied to most of the items they sell, ranging from books to large pieces of furniture.

Rachel Gilpin, Chief Executive of the Estuary League of Friends, said: “With spending cuts and tax rises on the agenda, it is vital that we take every opportunity to maximise our fundraising. This is one way in which the community and the charity can work together to do exactly that.”

Gift Aid is an easy way for charities to increase the value of donations from UK taxpayers by claiming back the basic rate tax paid by the donor. This means that for every £1 donated, you can claim an extra 28 pence.

How can we claim Gift Aid on donations

of goods to charity shops?

In order to do this, your charity must act as an ‘agent’ and sell an item donated in your shop on behalf of the donor. When the item is sold, you must offer the proceeds back to the donor, who can then choose to donate this money back to your charity under Gift Aid.

How does it work?

The scheme is relatively simple to run and the process takes the following format:

A taxpayer donates items to your shop, agrees to your scheme, completes a Gift Aid declaration and receives a unique identification reference number

The goods are tagged with the donor’s unique reference to identify them

The items are sold

Your charity contacts the donor to inform them that the items have sold and how much for

Gift Aid for charity shops

The donor then has the option to take the money (minus any seller’s fee you may have chosen to charge), or to turn it into a cash donation to your charity with Gift Aid added.

What records do we need to keep?

As with any Gift Aid transaction, you must ensure that you keep a full audit trail. You will need:• A Gift Aid declaration from the donor

(ideally filled in before the sale of the goods)

• A record of the amount the item sold for• A copy of the letter/email offering the

proceeds back to the donor (minus any seller’s fee).

Are there any costs involved?

Some shops charge a small seller’s fee for acting as an agent. This figure should be agreed by both parties when the donor enters the scheme. Apart from that, it should be relatively simple for both your charity and the donor.

What are the risks?

Unfortunately, occasionally a donor will decide to keep the money, which they do have every right to do. As you are selling the items on behalf of the donor, they remain the property of the donor until they donate the proceeds back to you. However, the majority of people will not claim back the money, as they were originally donating their items to your charity shop and did not expect to gain from this. A recent study (Eproductive 2009) found that less than 0.1% of donors to charity shops have actually asked for the money to be returned to them.

Should we be aware of any other tax

liabilities?

The sale of donated items is not generally liable for taxation. However, other costs may be incurred by this process that are subject to VAT. We would therefore strongly recommend that you seek professional advice before proceeding.

Companies and software that can helpEstuary League of Friends use a simple spreadsheet and letter to donors. They have highly recommend the firm they use to supply the stickers and signing up forms: Spark & Zoom Web: www.sparkandzoom.com Tel: 01562 777424

Eproductive Ltd

EpR is a web-based management control system developed specifically for charity retail. Other modules include: takings and bankings, van collection management and new goods stock control. Web: www.eproductive.com Email: [email protected] Tel: 01306 875785

Kudos Software Ltd

Kudos systems are proven in the retail sector with 300+ installations. Volunteer friendly touchscreens combine EPoS and Retail Gift Aid claiming in one easy to use system. Excellent training and ongoing support. Web: www.kudos-software.co.uk/charities Email: [email protected] Tel: 01548 843586

Merlin Software Ltd

8 years experience of voluntary sectors has made Merlin® the most cost effective solution and the most simple to use by all types of staff. Web: www.merlinsoft.co.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 01226 321213


Marmite snacks are packed with the Marmite tang you know and love (or hate!) and can also be a better alternative to many other snacks - and not just because they taste fantastic! They contain vitamin B which helps give you energy, they are free from artificial colours and flavours and less than 6% fat per serving.*

But we must warn you that this fantastic range of snacks is not just for the diet crowd, we know they’ll be loved by your friends and family too!

Liven up your normal boring snacks with a smack of Marmite, whether it’s rice cakes, breadsticks, crisps or cereal bars these are packed with some seriously Marmitey taste which will certainly get your taste buds going!

As part of a well balanced diet, these Marmite treats give you your Marmite fix any time during the day, so grab a bag of Marmite rice cakes or crisps today!

*Marmite ricecakes and crisps contain 6% or less of your Guideline Daily Amount *(GDA) for calories, and no more than 10% of your GDA for salt.

When you’re a busy mum and on the go all day trying to find a moment to grab something to eat can be tough. Marmite has a fantastic range of snacks which are perfect for when you’re out and about or just when you get five minutes to yourself.

Order with P&H codes: Marmite Breadsticks 42571 Marmite Crisps 27177Marmite Rice Cakes 27176


Lighten the load with a new trolley

One of the most valued services provided by hundreds if not thousands of volunteers within hospitals across the country is the Trolley Service. For patients on wards restricted to their beds this service provides an important and welcome link with the outside world. It is also a service greatly appreciated by many NHS staff as they too can find themselves tied to their wards and unable to find time to pop to the hospital shop.

The availability of appropriate trolleys to help volunteers deliver this service has been a problem for many years. Traditional trolleys are either found to be too heavy or are general use trolleys that have been adapted to carry a range of goods including drinks, snacks, newspapers, confectionery and toiletries.

Following consultation with many volunteers who provide trolley services and taking into account the challenges and difficulties they face a new trolley has been designed, built and trialled that better meets their needs.

Many of you who were at the Attend AGM in October will have seen first-hand the new ward trolley. Using a combination of durable materials for strength and to minimise weight the new trolley provides:• Excellent merchandising opportunities

to allow customers to see the range at a glance

• Cash drawer for added security• Flexibility to change the product range

offered from a news trolley to a general merchandise trolley to maximise sales opportunities

Find out moreIf you are interested in ordering a new trolley please see the advert opposite for more details.

Contact Nexus Interiors: 53-59 New Tythe Street, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 2DL Tel: 0115 9463222 Email: [email protected] Web: www.nexusinteriors.co.uk

If you would like to discuss the benefits of the trolley further please contact: Attend Retail E-mail: [email protected] Pat Hunter Tel: 07594 332311 Darren Sterling Tel: 07772 022714 Web: www.attend.org.uk

News

• Marketing opportunities to promote the work and achievements of the local group

• Distinctive design that stands out from the crowd and can instantly identify the “Friends” volunteer.

To complement the new trolley we are currently developing a stock control system to help:• Manage the range offered• Highlight fastest and slowest selling lines• Minimise waste, maximise sales and profit

from the trolley• Prevent overloading• Optimise the range for you service• Support stock ordering• Enable cash reconciliation.

Contact us on 01494 436426

www.peros.co.uk Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peros_Fairtrade

www.facebook.com/pages/PEROS-FAIRTRADE/80322014775Or why not:

For more details visit our Facebook:

We are the UK’s leading independent Fairtrade supply company

shop talk 9

Documents

attend agm

attend creative

healthy snacking

shop talk2 shop talk

retail news

attend retails member

heart of healthy communities

new trolley