The Children’s Air Ambulance ‘Store of the Future’ is now open

The Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) opened the doors today to its groundbreaking ‘Store of the Future’ in West Bridgford, which will help to raise vital funds to support the lifesaving missions for critically ill babies and children across the UK.

The construction of the unique store was made possible by partnering with an award-winning sustainable contractor, OAK Project Management, an ethical and sustainable engineering, construction and project management company based in Ireland.

The grand opening was attended by the charity’s ambassador, social media influencer and charity shop advocate ‘Charity Shop Girl’ – Jennifer Brady, who has a passion for sustainability and charity shopping.

Visitors and guests had the opportunity to have a look around the first of its kind charity store and shop the fantastic clothing, bric-a-brac, electricals and children’s clothing and toys on offer, as well see the locally sourced materials the store has been created with – wooden floors from an old church, second-hand doors, display units created with salvaged bricks, slip bricks and scaffold planks, old scaffolding pipes for rails, as well as the till made from steel mesh.

The Children’s Air Ambulance is changing the face of paediatric and neonatal care through the high-speed transfer of critically ill babies and children – flying them from local hospitals to specialist paediatric and neonatal treatment centres via the clinically designed helicopters which provide a flying intensive care unit for babies and children.

Officially opening the store on behalf of TCAA, ambassador Jen Brady said: “I was honoured to be able to open the ‘Store of the Future’ in West Bridgford and I urge the local community to come down to see the amazing transformation inside the store and grab a bargain.”

“The store brings a new style and vision to charity retail, giving everyone a more enjoyable shopping experience, without removing the essence of why we love charity shopping.

“The store has a brand-new donation station and by donating to the charity shops we are keeping the items out of landfill and in turn supporting a deserving charity with vital funds to keep saving little lives,” she expressed.

This is a unique and exciting opening in West Bridgford. The charity store will raise vital funds for the service to keep the helicopters flying.

“We are incredibly excited and honoured to share the opening of this unique Children’s Air Ambulance store with the West Bridgford community, and it was brilliant to see so many people attend today,” said TCAA’s Head of Retail, Hannah Coventry.

“The success of our store is vital as TCAA receives no government or National Lottery funding and relies solely on donations from the public and retail income to keep saving the lives of critically ill babies and children across the UK,” she added.

The charity’s donation station is open and makes it quick and easy for people to drop off donations.

To learn more, or to support the charity, please visit: www.childrensairambulance.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999.