Shoe Aid

What Shoe Aid does

Shoe Aid is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1175254), founded in 2017 and operating with 1-10 staff, that runs a footwear collection and redistribution service addressing the dual problem of footwear poverty and footwear waste in the UK. The organization accepts new, used, end-of-line, and sample footwear from footwear brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, and the general public through a network of retail store collection points spanning at least 17 UK cities, and redistributes the inventory free of charge to schools, charities, social enterprises, refugee forums, and community groups, who in turn pass it to beneficiaries including schoolchildren from low-income families, homeless individuals, and adults seeking employment. To date it has reportedly donated approximately 200,000 pairs of shoes, diverted 100+ tonnes of waste from landfill, and educated 25,000+ people across 1,000+ organizations.

There is no proprietary technology platform behind the operation; logistics run from a single undisclosed warehouse in the UK that opens three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday). The organization's go-to-market is community-led: beneficiaries are reached exclusively through partner organizations rather than direct consumer channels, while supply is sourced via footwear-industry donors (Start Rite, Anatomic Co, Euro Leathers, Muck Boots, Sole Circle UK), a corporate sponsor (Medstrom), and a service-organization partner (Rotary NW). The annual STEPTEMBER campaign, with its SHOESDAYS events and #SteppingUP2FootwearPoverty social push, is the primary fundraising initiative.

Revenue is not disclosed. The financial model relies on monetary donations accepted via PayPal, grants and charitable funding, and substantial in-kind contributions of footwear from corporate donors; pricing to end beneficiaries is set at zero, with a voluntary £1-per-shoe-request donation suggested to cover operational costs. Operations are not venture-funded: the input records no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no public-company status.

Name

Shoe Aid

Legal name

Shoe Aid

Website

https://shoeaid.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shoe Aid is a UK-registered charity, founded in 2017, that collects donated footwear from brands and the public through a UK retail collection network and redistributes it free of charge via partner schools, charities, and community groups to people experiencing footwear poverty.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Footwear Redistribution

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Footwear Repair, Refurbishment & Remanufacturing (IMAOAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shoe Cleaning & Polishing Services (HSAJAIAA), Shoe Deodorizing, Sanitization & Odor Removal (HSAJAIAI)

Keywords

• Footwear donation services
• Charity redistribution services
• Shoe recycling programs
• Footwear poverty charity
• Community footwear support

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donated Footwear: Collection of new and used footwear donations from retail brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, and the general public. Donated footwear is redistributed free of charge to those in need.
2. Monetary Donations: Accepts monetary donations via PayPal and other payment methods to cover operational costs of collecting, sorting, cleaning, and distributing footwear.
3. Grants and Charitable Funding: Seeks funding from grants and charitable donations as a not-for-profit organization to sustain operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shoe Aid is a UK-registered charity that operates a footwear collection and redistribution service: it accepts donated footwear (new, used, end-of-line items, and samples) from retail brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, retail-store collection points, and the general public, and redistributes the footwear free of charge to schools, charities, social enterprises, and community groups for distribution to individuals experiencing footwear poverty. The organization also runs dedicated Schools and Education and Corporate Footwear Donation programs, operates a UK-wide Shoe Bin collection network in retail stores, and hosts the annual STEPTEMBER fundraising and awareness campaign.

Product overview

Shoe Aid is a UK-based charity operating a footwear redistribution service that collects donated footwear (new, used, end-of-line, samples) through a collection network and distributes it free of charge to those in footwear poverty. The core offering includes a footwear donation and redistribution service, supported by the annual STEPTEMBER fundraising campaign and dedicated programs for schools and corporate partners. The organization maintains shoe bin collection points across the UK and partners with retail brands to source footwear for redistribution to schools, charities, social enterprises, and community groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Footwear Donation and Redistribution Service Free collection and redistribution service that accepts donated footwear (new, used, end-of-line, and samples) and distributes it free of charge to schools, charities, social enterprises, and community groups for individuals in need.
• Schools and Education Footwear Program Provides free footwear to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and families on low incomes, including school shoes, trainers, wellingtons, outdoor footwear, and prom shoes, to enable school attendance and participation in activities.
• Corporate Footwear Donation Program Partnership program for retail brands and manufacturers to donate surplus stock, end-of-line items, samples, and once-worn footwear for redistribution to those in need, reducing environmental waste.
• Shoe Bin Collection Network Collection points located in retail stores across the UK (including Leicestershire, Huddersfield, Manchester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Guildford, Southampton, Norwich, Cardiff, Bristol, Cirencester, Brighton, Lutterworth, Leeds, Grimsby, Nottingham) where individuals can donate footwear.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ tonnes of waste saved from landfill
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MedstromcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate sponsor of Shoe Aid. Medstrom is identified as a corporate sponsor on Shoe Aid's website, supporting the charity's mission to combat footwear poverty in the UK.
• Start RitecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFootwear brand that supports Shoe Aid by donating surplus stock, end of line items, and paired samples. Listed as a key supporter in the footwear community section.
• Anatomic CocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFootwear manufacturer supporting Shoe Aid through donations of unused footwear. Listed as a key supporter in the footwear community section.
• Euro LeatherscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeather goods company supporting Shoe Aid. Listed as a key supporter in the footwear community section.
• Muck BootsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFootwear brand donating products to support Shoe Aid's mission. Listed as a supporter in the footwear community section.
• Sole Circle UKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK footwear initiative supporting Shoe Aid. Listed as a supporter in the footwear community section.
• Rotary NW (Rotary International District)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorService organization supporting Shoe Aid's community initiatives. Listed as a key supporter in the footwear community section.
• Highclare SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational institution that has supported Shoe Aid for two years through the STEPTEMBER campaign, raising funds and donating approximately 200+ pairs of footwear.
• Pitter Patter Kids (Oldham)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail store added to Shoe Aid's donation location map, serving as a drop-off point for footwear donations in Oldham.
• Kids Shoe Den (Northampton)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail store added to Shoe Aid's donation location map, serving as a drop-off point for footwear donations in Northampton.
• Various Retail Stores (UK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple retail stores across the UK hosting Shoe Aid collection boxes. Locations include Leicestershire, Huddersfield, Manchester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Guildford, Southampton, Norwich, Cardiff, Bristol, Cirencester, Brighton, Lutterworth, Leeds, Grimsby, and Nottingham.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Emmaus UK: UK charity supporting people out of homelessness through companion communities and social enterprises, some of which handle donated goods including clothing and footwear. Comparable target beneficiary base (homeless individuals) with broader social-support scope.
• Oxfam GB: Major UK-based international charity that accepts clothing donations through retail drop-off points and reships/redistributes much of the stock overseas. Comparable donation-collection infrastructure and second-life apparel supply chain, but at vastly greater scale.
• The Salvation Army UK: Large UK charity operating clothing and household-goods redistribution programmes, including to homeless populations. Comparable beneficiary segments and referral-through-partner distribution model, but much broader mandate and far larger scale than Shoe Aid.

Direct peers

• Wrap Up London: UK charity running annual coat donation drives with retail drop-off points and partner-network redistribution to people in need. Highly comparable donation-collection-and-distribution model, even though focused on coats rather than shoes.
• Clothes Aid: UK charity that collects donated clothing (and accessories) and redistributes them to people in need and resells surplus to fund operations. Closely comparable UK nonprofit redistribution model using retail drop-off points and partner organisations.
• Soles4Souls: US-based nonprofit that collects shoes and distributes them to people in need globally, with explicit focus on both poverty relief and landfill diversion. Highly comparable mission (shoe redistribution + environmental impact) but operates at a much larger international scale.
• Smart Works: UK charity providing free interview-appropriate clothing and shoes to unemployed women. Comparable because a portion of its service line covers free footwear for job-interview readiness, overlapping directly with Shoe Aid's working-age-adult segment.
• Sal's Shoes: UK-registered charity that collects and redistributes children's shoes to children in need both in the UK and overseas. Most directly comparable to Shoe Aid as a footwear-specific redistribution charity operating through similar collection-point and donor-channel mechanics.

Others

• Give Directly: Charity that channels donor funds directly to people in poverty. Comparable in operating as a UK- and internationally-relevant nonprofit focused on material poverty alleviation, though it works through cash transfers rather than in-kind goods.

Emerging players

• TOMS: Footwear brand whose one-for-one model donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. Comparable end beneficiary (children lacking footwear) but commercially rather than donation-funded, and more focused on manufacturing new shoes than redistributing existing stock.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/shoeaiduk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMA9rAHAu23YeJdPlht3qcw
• Facebookfacebook.com/shoeaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shoeaid
• Instagraminstagram.com/shoeadaiduk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shoe Aid