The chief executive of the Charity Retail Association (CRA) has announced that he will be stepping down from the role in 2026, after more than 10 years in post.
Robin Osterley, who was appointed as CEO in November 2015, made the announcement during the CRA’s annual general meeting this morning.
Osterley said: “I’m going to retire from full-time work at the end of 2026, so I’ll be around for a bit yet to pester you and annoy you, but during that period, obviously the board is already starting to think about how the work of replacing the chief exec can continue.”
He added that the board and staff have known about the decision “for some time”.
New membership model
Osterley also announced that the organisation would be shifting to an “income-based membership model” for its charity members.
He said: “If we carry on with the same model, I think we’re going to be struggling, but if we move to the new model, then I think we’ve got every chance of keeping the franchise going for many, many years to come.”
CRA’s current membership fees are calculated based on the number of shops operated by a charity.
However, the current model is reportedly becoming more unequal, as despite an increase in retail income for many charities, the number of charity shops is declining, which Osterley said is “likely to hurt us in the future”.
Under the new membership model – which will be effective from 2027 – the fees will be income-based, with charities with larger revenues paying higher membership fees than those with smaller incomes.
Osterley acknowledged that although “there are going to be some winners and some losers”, the CRA felt that “overall, this will be much fairer for members”.
