Shaftesbury Capital celebrates successful partnership with Smart Works as money raised passes £200,000

Shaftesbury Capital is celebrating the success of its long-term support for Smart Works, the UK charity, with its fourth pop-up across the West End portfolio having taken donations past £200,000 to date.

Smart Works, a UK charity that exists to give women the confidence they need to reach their full potential, secure employment, and change the trajectory of their lives, hosted a pop-up at 57 Carnaby Street from 1^st – 24^th March, raising £43k in celebration of International Women’s Day. It marked the fourth pop-up for the charity since 2022 with Shaftesbury Capital, following previous success in Covent Garden.

The Carnaby Street store stocked a range of fashion, homeware, accessories, and beauty brands, including the likes of Chelsea Peers, Dickies, FRAME, Kitri, Lily & Lionel, Missoma, Never Fully Dressed, Pink City Prints, Radley London, Sister Jane, WAT The Brand, Varley and Scamp & Dude. It also delivered an experiential shopping experience for visitors and included a variety of pieces donated by celebrities, including Fearne Cotton, Dame Shirley Bassey, and Grayson Perry.

Smart Works’ series of pop-ups with Shaftesbury Capital have raised over £200,000 across 85 trading days, seeing over 2,300 sales and 835 dedicated volunteer hours. This partnership highlights the collaborative approach from both Shaftesbury Capital and Smart Works, and the leading landlord’s dedication to nurturing relationships and connecting brands with its consumers.

Michelle McGrath, Executive Director at Shaftesbury Capital, commented: “Charity partnerships, such as our support for Smart Works, are fundamental in our strategy for our West End neighbourhoods. The quality of our physical locations means we can take an active role in connecting our consumers with fantastic organisations, helping to deliver strong sales and, just as importantly, grow brand awareness. Smart Works continue to do remarkable things for women and their communities, and we are proud to play a small part in helping them achieve their charitable objectives while giving our visitors access to a retail experience that they really value.”

Kate Stephens, CEO of Smart Works said: “Once again, our pop-up on Carnaby Street has been a success, and we can’t thank the Shaftesbury Capital team enough for their support in providing us with the space and ability to trade in such a renowned area. International Women’s Day is a key moment for us at Smart Works, and one which we are always keen to celebrate. We look forward to continuing working with Shaftesbury Capital to spread the message on empowerment and the possibility of better futures for women around the UK.”

This announcement aligns with Shaftesbury Capital’s continued commitment to supporting its communities, working with a range of partners including not-for-profit organisations, charities, educational establishments, and other local groups.