One Epic Road Trip...(the map)

Here's the route we will be taking...around 4000 miles give or take a few!

As well as spending 5 days in each project location, we are planning to stop along the way to visit charity (thrift) stores, rest and appreciate some of the amazing sights the US has to offer.

Click the link below to see more details on the route and project locations.


View My Charity Retail Fellowship - one epic USA road trip... in a larger map

Blog Introduction

Although my fellowship officially begins on 10th July, it actually started well before that at 2012 Annual Charity Retail Association Conference. This is when I heard Marks & Spencer's Mike Barry speak about their 'Plan A' corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy which incorporates the ground breaking and high profile Oxfam 'Shwopping' initiative. This motivated me to think about whether the charity I work for, Mercy in Action, could benefit from a partnership like this.

In the meantime, I had been keeping my eye on the grants awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) since my friend Ian Carpenter had been kind enough to invite me to his Fellowship Award ceremony in 2010. This event and Mike's talk were inspiring...little did I know both were about to collide in the most exciting of ways... 

When the WCMT announced their grant categories in 2012, and the 'Business in Society' category included a focus on CSR projects, it felt like a sign that it was my time to apply. In Mid February I received the amazing news that my application had been successful and I was one of 125 people to be chosen from 1161 applicants as a 2013 Fellow!

In a nutshell, the main aim of my project is to gain a detailed and hands on understanding of how North American charities co-ordinate and foster the relationships they have developed with their corporate partners. To do this I have spent many hours, over many months planning, researching, booking, emailing, networking and building relationships with the organisations I will be visiting. 

During my 36 days in the US, I will be covering more than 4000 miles (by car!) and visiting 4 separate project locations in New York, Philadelphia, Denver & San Francisco. As well as these projects, which I will reveal more about along the way, I will also be visiting as many 'Thrift Stores' as possible, getting ideas and inspiration which I will share with you here.

It seemed like it could be a long lonely journey on my own so we decided to fund my husband Si and our 3 lovely kids Ellie, Finn and Jude so they could come along too. They will be having lots of fun seeing the sights on my project days!

Our trip begins in just a few weeks at which point I will begin updating the blog every day or two....thanks for reading. Please comment whenever you like, and share with others who may be interested too.