Charity store Ethical Boutique is extending its stay at St David’s Cardiff after celebrating its first year at the city shopping destination.
Selling pre-loved clothing, the sustainable store is run by Cardiff charity The SAFE Foundation with all proceeds supporting deprived families and communities around the world.
Originally opening at St David’s for a one-year stint last summer, the Ethical Boutique store will now stay until 2025 with support from the centre’s owners Landsec as well as launching a new speciality coffee stand with a community purpose.
Previously, Ethical Boutique had a small mobile coffee unit where it offered behind closed doors weekly barista training sessions to support people into the hospitality industry. Due to the project’s success, the store has been refitted with a new purpose-built coffee stand which will open daily serving guests. Funded by Landsec’s Futures Fund, the Conscious Coffee stand will open by Christmas, offering free barista and hospitality training while serving delicious, ethically and sustainably-sourced coffee with the aim of becoming a community hub. The store is also offering volunteering opportunities for people to build skills and confidence.
The SAFE Foundation Director Angie Bettany commented: “Over the past year, we have been building our community and are so happy to be staying as one of the only remaining charity shops in the city centre. People really like charity shopping and enjoy the physical retail experience. Our customers love the store – it’s bright and cheerful. Being in the city centre has been awesome for reaching new customers who didn’t know about the charity and the work we do. We’re blessed that St David’s and Landsec have sponsored us to make it possible.”
In its first year, Ethical Boutique has offered over 50 volunteering experiences and supported more than 25 people into placements with regular volunteering with 15 from the refugee and asylum-seeking community supported into placements as regular volunteers. In addition, one volunteer has progressed to shop supervisor training and, as a wheelchair user, has helped design the store to be ergonomic for wheelchairs.
Volunteer Maudlyne Gudi said: “It’s really cool here, I’m so happy to be able to give back to my community. This is my first time volunteering in a charity shop and I love it. We even have coffee here and are ready to welcome customers with a smile.”
Helen Morgan, Centre Director of St David’s Cardiff, commented: “Ethical Boutique has been a unique addition to St David’s which really stands out. We’re proud to be able to support such a worthy cause while offering something a little bit different to our guests when they visit.”
