NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

What NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD does

NOW! Charity Group Ltd is a UK-registered charity and social enterprise (Companies House no. 03077894; Charity Commission no. 1048093) founded in 1995 and headquartered in Lewes, East Sussex. The organization operates two divisions: Furniture Now!, the core retail arm running three physical stores in Lewes, Eastbourne, and Hailsham selling new and second-hand household furniture and appliances at affordable prices, supported by a free household collection service across Sussex five days a week and online sales via eBay and Facebook Marketplace; and Community Now!, the community arm operating the Sustainable Communities Fund (large grants up to £5,000 administered via Sussex Community Foundation and micro grants up to £500), the Hailsham Community Shed for upcycling and social inclusion, and NCFE-accredited English and Maths training.

The business model is a hybrid retail-plus-grant redistribution structure: B2C retail sales generate income through affordable unit pricing, supplemented by B2B partnerships with housing associations (Southern Housing Group), local authorities (East Sussex County Council, Lewes District Council, Eastbourne Borough Council), Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, and Sussex Citizens Advice for property furnishing and referrals. Annual profits are redistributed into community grants rather than retained, consistent with charitable status. Headcount is 1–10 employees, relying heavily on volunteers across retail, collection, e-commerce listing, and Community Shed operations. Reported 2024 impact: 6,146 families supported, £729,910 in household savings generated for customers, and 272,950 kg of CO2 emissions saved.

The organization holds several accreditations including 'Outstanding' NCFE training provider status (since 2016), Disability Confident Employer status, and membership of the Reuse Network and international RREUSE circular economy network; it was named in the NatWest SE100 Top 100 UK Social Enterprises in 2022. The core technology stack is non-proprietary and limited to standard SaaS tools (MailChimp, Google Analytics, SurveyMonkey, eBay, Facebook Marketplace) — there is no proprietary platform, no patents, and no AI/ML capabilities.

Name

NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD

Legal name

Now! Charity Group Ltd

Website

https://nowcharity.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NOW! Charity Group Ltd is a UK-registered East Sussex charity operating Furniture Now! retail stores in Lewes, Eastbourne, and Hailsham that collect, refurbish, and resell affordable household furniture and appliances, redistributing profits through Community Now! grants, training, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charity Social Enterprise (Furniture Reuse)

NAICS

Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers (4491), Furniture Retailers (449110), Reupholstery and Furniture Repair (81142)

SIC

Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700), Retail-Furniture Stores (5712)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAIANAA

Secondhand & Consignment Furniture Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Secondhand, Vintage & Consignment Home Furnishings Retail

SECONDARYCRAIANAN

Refurbished/Upcycled Home Furnishings Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Secondhand, Vintage & Consignment Home Furnishings Retail

SECONDARYHSAFAFAG

Donation, Consignment & Resale Coordination

Home & Personal Services/Home Organization & Decluttering/Moving, Downsizing & Estate Organization

Keywords

• Furniture reuse charity
• Social enterprise retail
• Community grant funding
• Circular economy services
• Affordable household furniture

Headquarters

HQ city

LEWES

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. B2C Retail Sales: Furniture Now! retail stores in Lewes, Eastbourne, and Hailsham selling new and second-hand household furniture and appliances directly to the public.
2. B2B Partnerships: Partnership model working with housing associations, local authorities, NHS trusts, and Citizens Advice to furnish properties and supply goods via referrals.
3. Sustainable Communities Fund Grants: Redistributes annual profits from Furniture Now! retail sites as grants to local community projects in East Sussex. Large grants up to £5,000 (administered with Sussex Community Foundation) and micro grants up to £500.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NOW! Charity Group Ltd operates a charity social enterprise that collects, reuses, and redistributes household furniture and appliances to alleviate furniture poverty across East Sussex. Its core retail arm, Furniture Now!, runs three physical stores (Lewes, Eastbourne, Hailsham) selling new and second-hand furniture at affordable prices, backed by a free collection service. The Community Now! arm delivers grant programmes, community facilities, and adult education training, with surplus profits redistributed as community grants.

Product overview

NOW! Charity Group Ltd operates as a social enterprise with a dual-service model: Furniture Now! is the core retail operation with physical stores across East Sussex (Lewes, Eastbourne, and Hailsham) offering new and second-hand household furniture and appliances, supplemented by online sales through eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Community Now! extends the mission through the Sustainable Communities Fund (grants up to £5,000 for large grants, £500 for micro grants), the Hailsham Community Shed for skills-sharing and up-cycling, and accredited NCFE training programmes. The services are unified by the charity's environmental and social mission to reduce waste, promote circular economy, and alleviate local poverty.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Furniture Now! Retail Service Core retail service operating three physical stores in Lewes, Eastbourne, and Hailsham, supplying new and second-hand household furniture and appliances (sofas, dining sets, washing machines, freezers) at affordable prices to individuals and families experiencing financial hardship, as well as B2B partner referrals for property furnishing.
• Community Now! Community support arm delivering grants from the Sustainable Communities Fund, free community facilities access, staff volunteer time giveback, and adult education (NCFE English and Maths qualifications) for local East Sussex community projects.
• Sustainable Communities Fund Grant-giving programme redistributing annual profits from Furniture Now! retail sites to support local East Sussex community projects promoting the circular economy, reuse, recycling, and repair. Includes large grants (up to £5,000 administered via Sussex Community Foundation) and micro grants (up to £500).
• Hailsham Community Shed Community facility within the Hailsham Furniture Now! shop providing a safe space for local people to socialise, learn new skills, and up-cycle pre-loved furniture, run by volunteers multiple days per week.
• Free Household Collection Service Free collection of unwanted furniture and electrical items from households across Sussex, conducted 5 days a week, providing the supply pipeline for retail stock and partner referrals.
• NCFE English and Maths Training Accredited training provision (rated 'Outstanding' by NCFE since 2016) offering NCFE English and Maths qualifications to adult learners across East Sussex, helping individuals develop in current jobs, seek new employment, or integrate in their communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,146 families supported in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reuse NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNow! is an associate of the Reuse Network, representing the UK as a member of the Reuse and Recycling European Social Enterprise group (RREUSE). Members are an international network of organisations active in the circular economy, generating outcomes for communities through reuse, repair and recycling.
• RREUSEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRREUSE is the Reuse and Recycling European Social Enterprise group. Now! represents the UK as a member, participating in an international network of organisations active in the circular economy.
• Sussex Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for administering the Large Grants programme (up to £5,000) of the Sustainable Communities Fund. Grants support East Sussex community projects promoting circular economy, reuse, recycling and repair.
• Friday Media Group FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporters and partners providing funding and promotional support for community initiatives.
• Green Growth Platform (Brighton)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Brighton University's Green Growth Platform for sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• East Sussex County CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorB2B partner working with Now! to furnish properties and supply goods via referrals for residents in need.
• Lewes District CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorB2B partner working with Now! to furnish properties and supply goods via referrals for residents in need.
• Eastbourne Borough CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorB2B partner working with Now! to furnish properties and supply goods via referrals for residents in need.
• Southern Housing GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHousing association B2B partner for property furnishing. Now! supplies furniture and household items to furnish properties and supports referrals.
• Sussex NHS Foundation TrustcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNHS trust B2B partner working with Now! to provide furniture and household items for patients and staff in need.
• Sussex Citizens AdvicecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCitizens Advice bureau B2B partner for referrals and community support services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• British Heart Foundation (Furniture & Electrical Stores): Operates a national chain of charity-run furniture and electrical stores across the UK that collect, refurbish and resell donated household goods at affordable prices. Directly comparable to Furniture Now! on the secondhand furniture retail model, B2B furnishing partnerships, and free collection service.
• Emmaus UK: National federation of homelessness charities that operate second-hand furniture and reuse shops, often staffed by and supporting people in need. Highly comparable to Now! Charity Group on mission (social impact + circular economy), retail format, and volunteer-led operations.
• Octavia Foundation: London-based charity social enterprise operating Octavia's Lovelights Furniture Store, reselling donated furniture and providing home starter packs. Comparable as a housing-association-affiliated furniture reuse charity with B2B property furnishing.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore (UK): Reuse retail concept selling donated furniture and home goods to fund affordable housing. Directly comparable on circular economy reuse retail model and social mission, though the UK footprint is currently limited.
• St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP): Operates furniture reuse stores and free collection services across the UK, supplying affordable furniture to people in need. Closely comparable to Now! Charity Group on charity-led furniture reuse, donation drives, and B2B furnishing of social housing.

Broad incumbents

• Age UK: National charity with a significant network of charity shops some of which sell donated furniture and homeware. Comparable on charity retail and donation-driven stock, but operates across many more categories than Now! Charity Group.
• Sue Ryder: National charity running a chain of secondhand furniture and homeware stores alongside broader health and social care services. Comparable on the charity retail furniture channel though its scale and broader mission extend well beyond reuse.

Others

• Reuse Network: UK umbrella network of charities and social enterprises active in furniture reuse, repair, and recycling — Now! Charity Group is an associate member. Relevant as a peer/ecosystem leader enabling national policy advocacy and grant funding.

Regional players

• YMCA (England & Wales): Operates charity shops and supported housing including furniture reuse initiatives in regional geographies. Comparable as a regional social-enterprise charity with reuse and resettlement missions.

Emerging players

• Furniture Village (Rehome scheme): Mainstream furniture retailer that has partnered with charities for furniture reuse and donation/resale schemes. Comparable as an adjacent commercial furniture player with charity reuse initiatives, not a direct charity competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/now-charity-group-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NOW! CHARITY GROUP LTD