Cornwall Air Ambulance Charity Store - Wadebridge

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust (CAAT) wanted to redefine its retail presence with a distinctive store style that would be recognisable across all its charity shops. Historically, the charity had relied on repurposed shop fittings from previous tenants, but with the rise of conscious shopping and the growing second-hand market, CAAT wanted a fresh, adaptable retail concept that reflected its values while enhancing the shopping experience.

A key design challenge was the unpredictable nature of charity shop stock, which changes weekly. To address this, I specified a flexible shop-fitting system using recyclable scaffold pole fixtures, allowing store managers to easily adjust shelving and hanging rails to suit incoming donations. Mid-floor fixtures were designed on castors for easy reconfiguration, maintaining an open and accessible layout. By ensuring these fixtures remained below average eye height, we preserved clear sightlines throughout the store, creating a spacious and organised atmosphere.

Sustainability was at the heart of the project. Ethically sourced wood and recyclable cladding was used for all counters, with old units repurposed and adorned with a CNC-cut helicopter and cloud motif in the children’s department. Veneer faced black-core MDF feature walls behind each till were CNC'd with unique location-based designs, reinforcing both the brand identity and local community connection. To elevate the store beyond the typical charity shop aesthetic, bespoke display units were introduced to create a boutique feel, offering dedicated spaces for CAAT’s branded goods and curated product highlights.

A key shift in the layout brought volunteers from behind the scenes into the heart of the shop floor, fostering engagement with customers and donors. The overall aesthetic was designed to feel light and natural, with subtle industrial elements that nodded to the engineering behind CAAT’s life-saving helicopters. Brand colours were used sparingly to enhance recognition while maintaining a clean and modern look. The result is a welcoming, adaptable, and purpose-driven retail space that balances functionality, sustainability, and a strong visual identity.