AMBS students raise funds for British Heart Foundation through pop-up shops

30 May 2023

Split into two teams, 14 first-year students aimed to maximize their contributions to the BHF while gaining valuable skills and commercial experience while competing to be the winning team

The student groups were assigned to a local BHF shop, the Piccadilly shop in the city centre and the Chorlton shop. Each group was given the target of £500 profit to generate from their shop sales to ensure the BHF received a return on investment. The Piccadilly group's pop-up shop generated an impressive £1,120.25, while the Chorlton group exceeded expectations with £1,774.70! The combined total of £2,894.95 is an amazing amount for the charity, almost covering the expenses for a BHF scientist to run their laboratory for three days.

Throughout the project, the students took on the responsibility of sourcing stock, marketing their shops, and of course selling the secondhand clothes, books, games and more. Along the way, they utilised their existing business skills and acquired new ones.

Our University has a longstanding partnership with the British Heart Foundation, recognising the organization's vital work in combating heart disease and supporting cardiovascular research. This collaboration between the charity, our Volunteering and Awards Team and AMBS enables business students to actively contribute to the BHF's mission while fostering their social responsibility awareness and honing their skills.

The timing of these pop-up shops couldn't be more relevant, given students' growing concerns about fast fashion and the cost of living crisis. The focus on secondhand clothing and sustainable consumption strongly resonates with our University's social responsibility goals.

The concept of AMBS students running pop-up shops to support BHF originated in 2019 with the aim of increasing volunteer participation among business students. Our University is the charity’s most successful partner to have student-led BHF pop-up shops on campus. The continued success of this project has made it a flagship initiative, and its potential to be replicated across the UK highlights the innovative approach to fundraising and experiential learning, which can have a lasting impact on volunteering and educational experiences for students nationwide.