A HOLYWOOD woman has been named UK charity retail leader of the year at the Charity Retail Awards.
Fiona Anderson, who is retail development manager at Concern Worldwide (UK), won the prestigious award at a ceremony in Wales hosted by the Charity Retail Association, which represents charity retailers in the UK.
The judges commended Fiona for ‘her professional leadership’ and ‘impressive people-centred management style’. They also highlighted Fiona’s work with refugee communities in Belfast.
The body says that its leadership award recognises the ‘extraordinary leadership, expertise and skills of a charity retail leader, navigating their team to success’.
Fiona leads the international development charity’s eight second-hand shops across Northern Ireland managing a team of seven staff and more than 150 volunteers. She has worked with Concern for the past 14 months, before which she was with Oxfam Ireland and spearheaded the opening of its first ever superstore on the island of Ireland in Holywood.
Fiona said she was ‘absolutely honoured’ to receive the award, but that while it is a personal recognition, it reflected the dedication, passion and hard work of the entire retail team and the incredible volunteers, ‘whose commitment makes such a difference every single day’.
“This year, we have focused on bringing a clear vision to Concern’s retail future embracing agility and innovation to build a stronger, more sustainable retail operation that can maximise support for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities,” she said.
“It is a particularly exciting time for the charity retail industry. We are seeing growing consumer interest in sustainability, circular fashion and the positive social impact that charity shops can deliver. As a sector, we have a real opportunity to lead the way in demonstrating how retail can be both commercially successful and socially responsible.”
She added: “Sustainability is something I am personally passionate about. The dress I wore to receive this award belonged to my granny and was first worn by her over 70 years ago, an example of true sustainable fashion and a reminder that great style can stand the test of time.”
Fiona added that, while it had been a fantastic evening of celebration, it was now ‘very much back to work’ as the team prepared for the opening of Concern’s new pop-up shop on Castle Street in Derry.
Jackie Trainor, NI Director of Concern Worldwide (UK), said the award was ‘thoroughly deserved for someone who has made an extraordinary impact in a relatively short space of time’.
She added: “Fiona has brought vision, energy and determination to every aspect of our retail operations in Northern Ireland. We’re all incredibly proud of her and delighted to see her dedication and leadership recognised on a UK-wide stage.”
Last year, Concern Worldwide worked in 27 of the world’s most fragile countries to tackle extreme poverty and respond to emergencies, reaching 23 million people.
