All Aboard Shops Limited

Charity Number: 1125462

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £242,778 (year ending 31 December 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: £1,000+
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (with preference for Jewish and local causes)

Contact Details

Website: www.allaboardshops.com

Email: finance@allaboardshops.com

Phone: 020 8381 1717

Application Contact: Bernice Haynes (Financial Controller & Company Secretary)

  • Email: finance@allaboardshops.com
  • Post: Stella Lucas House, Unit 10 Colne Way Court, Colne Way, Watford, WD24 7NE

Overview

ALL ABOARD SHOPS LIMITED (Charity Number 1125462) was founded in 1987 by Stella Lucas MBE, who opened the first shop aged 70. The charity operates 20-24 retail shops across London and Manchester, selling donated goods to raise funds for UK registered charities. With over 37 years of trading history, All Aboard has distributed over £3 million in grants to hundreds of Jewish and non-Jewish charities. For the year ending 31 December 2024, the charity had a total income of £3.4 million and distributed £242,778 in charitable grants. The organization employs 108 staff and is supported by 201 volunteers and 9 trustees. Stella Lucas MBE, who passed away in January 2024 at age 107, was awarded an MBE in 2003 for her services to the Jewish community in London.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

All Aboard operates an annual grant cycle with applications typically opening once per year.

  • Annual Grants: Grants ranging from £1,000 upwards
  • Application Method: Fixed annual deadline (applications for 2024 year-end grants have closed)
  • Application Format: Paper form requiring wet signature, submitted by email or post

Priority Areas

In 2024, All Aboard supported over 70 UK charities across six key categories:

  • Community: Supporting community cohesion and cross-communal partnerships
  • Education: Learning programmes and educational initiatives
  • Medical Equipment: Hospital equipment and healthcare support
  • Older People: Residential care and support services for elderly
  • Welfare: General welfare support and crisis intervention
  • Youth: Youth programmes, school activities, and young people's services

Geographic and Cultural Focus: Predominantly Jewish and local causes, though both Jewish and non-Jewish charities are supported. The organization was founded with support from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, reflected in its name “All Aboard.”

Recent Grant Recipients Include:

  • Board of Deputies
  • Maccabi GB (supported 30 inter-school tournaments engaging 3,500 young people from 29 Jewish schools)
  • Jewish Care
  • Mitzvah Day
  • Herts Inclusive Theatre
  • Resource (job search workshops)
  • Paperweight (administrative support service)
  • Goods For Good (poverty alleviation and waste reduction)
  • Union of Jewish Students
  • University Jewish Chaplaincy
  • Young Barnet Foundation
  • Spread a Smile (supporting seriously ill and hospitalized children)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not explicitly stated, but the charity focuses on:

  • UK registered charities only
  • Preference for smaller charities
  • Organizations aligned with their mission of recycling and environmental sustainability
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Governance and Leadership

Executive Team

Alan Haynes - CEO

  • 40+ years retail experience
  • Joined All Aboard in September 2012
  • Previously worked with Save the Children

Bernice Haynes - Financial Controller & Company Secretary

  • Joined in March 2012
  • Experience across multiple sectors including stock exchange and telecommunications

Sam Stuart - Head of HR

  • Background from John Lewis Partnership
  • Holds Master's in Human Resource Management

Daniela Petrou - Head of Retail

  • Started as a volunteer in 2015
  • Previously ran an automotive business
  • Promoted to Head of Retail in February 2021

Evelyn Andresier - Marketing/Communications Manager & PA to CEO

  • Joined in 2008
  • Leads cross-communal campaigns

Board of Directors

The organization is supported by an experienced Trustee Board of 9 members. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Directors include experienced professionals from accounting and commercial property backgrounds.

Founder's Legacy

Stella Lucas MBE (1916-2024) founded All Aboard in 1987 after noticing hundreds of requests from people wanting to donate unwanted clothes while volunteering at the Board of Deputies central enquiry desk. She led the charity for over 30 years, overseeing its expansion to almost 20 shops before standing down as a trustee in 2017. Her vision has enabled the distribution of over £3 million in grants to date.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  • Email: finance@allaboardshops.com
  • Post: Stella Lucas House, Unit 10 Colne Way Court, Colne Way, Watford, WD24 7NE

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be a UK registered charity
  • Preference given to smaller charities
  • Focus areas should align with one or more of the six priority categories
  • Applicants are encouraged to support All Aboard's mission in return for grants (e.g., hosting clothing drops or recruiting volunteers)

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Applications are reviewed annually with grants typically distributed at year-end.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. In 2023, All Aboard supported over 75 charities, and in 2024, this increased to over 70 charities. With £242,778 distributed in 2024, typical grants appear to range from £1,000 to several thousand pounds.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policy is not explicitly stated. Several organizations appear to have maintained ongoing relationships with All Aboard over multiple years (e.g., University Jewish Chaplaincy mentions an 8-year relationship).

Application Success Factors

Key Success Factors

  1. Mission Alignment: Strong emphasis on recycling, environmental sustainability, and community impact. The charity's founding principle was to “promote the ideals of recycling and working for a cleaner and healthier environment.”
  • Hosting clothing donation drives
  • Recruiting volunteers for All Aboard shops
  • Promoting All Aboard's work within their networks
  1. Tangible Impact: Grant recipients frequently mention specific, measurable outcomes (e.g., Maccabi GB's “3,500 young people from 29 Jewish schools” or UJC's “environmentally friendly home hospitality”)
  1. Community Connection: Preference for organizations with strong community ties, particularly to Jewish communities and local causes in London and Manchester areas
  1. Size and Scale: Stated preference for smaller UK registered charities, suggesting that grassroots organizations may have an advantage

Language and Values

  • Emphasis on community building and cross-communal partnerships
  • Environmental responsibility and recycling
  • Practical support that creates tangible benefits
  • Volunteerism and community engagement

Recent Funding Examples

Recipients frequently express gratitude for enabling continuation of services:

  • Paperweight: “helped continue answering calls from those in our community who feel overwhelmed”
  • Goods For Good: “deliver against our mission to alleviate poverty and reduce waste”
  • UJS: “be the voice of 9,000 Jewish students”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Apply early and monitor deadlines: All Aboard operates an annual grant cycle that closes for the year once the deadline passes. Check the website regularly for when applications reopen.
  • Emphasize reciprocity: Consider concrete ways your organization can support All Aboard's retail operations and include these in your application (donation drives, volunteer recruitment, promotion).
  • Focus on tangible outcomes: Use specific numbers and measurable impacts rather than general statements. Follow the model of successful recipients who cite specific beneficiary numbers and concrete deliverables.
  • Align with environmental values: If your project has environmental benefits or promotes recycling and sustainability, highlight these connections to All Aboard's founding mission.
  • Smaller is better: As a smaller charity supporting smaller charities, emphasize your grassroots nature and community connections rather than scale or infrastructure.
  • Show long-term thinking: Several recipients mention multi-year relationships with All Aboard, suggesting they value ongoing partnerships over one-time grants.
  • Cultural sensitivity: If your organization serves or engages with Jewish communities or operates in North London/Manchester areas, emphasize these connections while demonstrating commitment to cross-communal partnership.

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