E-commerce and Charity Shops
Shop with purpose to make a difference today — discover a wide range of great deals both Online and in our Charity Shops.
You can support Acorn Village by donating items, shopping in our stores and buying from us online. There are many benefits to shopping second-hand;
💖 Supports Acorn Village
Our shops help raise essential funds for our services. Every penny raised through the sale of donated goods is reinvested back into the charity to support our ongoing mission: helping adults with learning disabilities live life to the full.
💚 Reduces Waste
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Extends the life of clothing, furniture, books, and more by keeping them out of landfills.
- Promotes sustainable living and a circular economy.
💸 Affordable Prices
Our items are often sold at a fraction of their original retail cost, great for families, students or anyone looking to save money without sacrificing quality.
🤝 Builds Community
We have some amazing volunteers helping us with the sale of donated goods and the shops also give the wider community an insight into what goes on at Acorn.
Our Shops
Our shop in Manningtree ‘The Acorn Charity Shop’ is divided into books and puzzles one side and clothes and general items the other. These change on a weekly and sometimes daily basis depending on what comes in. The friendly volunteers can help advise on what items are available and also keep an eye out for a specific item you may be after.
We’re always looking for more volunteers so please do get in touch if you are interested.
The Acorn Charity Shop
47 High Street
Manningtree
Essex
CO11 1AH
Tel: 01206 394124
Opening Times:
Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 10–4pm
Closed: Monday, Wednesday & Sunday Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, 10–4pm Closed: Monday, Saturday & Sunday
Once used as a carriage storage area many years ago, the onsite shop has one room dedicated to books and games and another to clothing and general items.
As well as our volunteers you will find our residents and tenants in the shop on work experience placements.
The Onsite Charity Shop
Acorn Village – Next to The Walled Garden Cafe
Clacton Road, Mistley
Essex
CO11 2NJ
Tel: 01206 394124
Opening times:
Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am to 3pm (dependent on volunteer cover). You are welcome to ring ahead to check if it is open.
Online Shopping
Support Acorn Village Through Our eBay Shop
Every purchase from the Acorn Village eBay shop directly helps adults with learning disabilities live more independent, fulfilling lives. By buying or donating items, you’re helping fund creative workshops, social activities, and essential support services that make a real difference every day.
From unique handmade crafts to pre-loved treasures, every sale supports our “Life Is For Living” ethos — where people are encouraged to be the best they can be.
🛍️ Shop now and support Acorn Village
Donations
You can donate your items by bringing them directly to the Acorn Village onsite shop on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 3pm.
Our shops and online sales depend on the generosity of others. Through kind donations our volunteers can stock the shops, sell items online and pass suitable items to the Day Services Centre or houses to use. This then ensures money can be used to help support adults with learning disabilities to reach their full potential.
We really appreciate the items you kindly donate to us, unfortunately due to disposal costs, we can’t accept items that are broken or damaged.
All items must adhere to the UK Safety Standards, please check soft toys for the safety standard CE label https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ce-marking
Unwanted Presents or New Items – Have you got items just sitting in a drawer at home? why not pass it on to Acorn Village, we can’t thank you enough for gifting these.
If you would like to discuss specific items for donation or you have a large amount, please email Supportus@acornvillages.com first. Thank you for thinking of Acorn!
When donating an item it is worth considering… ‘Can this item be sold & does it adhere to UK safety standards?’ If the answer is yes then chances are it can be donated space permitted.
For clothing that is past its best we use a textile company who pay by the kilo. If you have items like this, please label the bag as RAG and you can still help make those vital funds this way.
Thank you for supporting adults with learning disabilities by donating your unwanted items.
Please read the list below which details what items we can't accept.
How To Sign Up
We are now operating a Retail Gift Aid scheme so do sign up when you kindly drop your donations off and we can make more from each sale. Please do not leave any donations outside either shop when they closed or on the main Acorn site as it is a health and safety risk for our residents. If possible bring your donations contained in a bag or box which they can remain in. We really appreciate your support and the lovely items you donate!
We can accept donations at the Onsite Shop on Wednesdays and Thursdays 10-3pm. You are welcome to ring Reception to check if it is open ahead of your visit.
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows us to claim back the tax you've already paid on your donations. In essence, it adds 25p for every £1 you donate, at no extra cost to you. Retail Gift Aid lets charities claim 25% from the net sales value of items donated, so if your donations sell for £10, we will receive £12.50 if you sign up to Gift Aid your donations. This additional funding is invested back into our services supporting adults with learning disabilities.
Who Can Sign Up?
You must be a current UK taxpayer, but this is not limited to tax on earnings, you also qualify if you pay tax on a pension, savings, property sales or rental income. You must also ensure you've paid an amount of income or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax we reclaim on your donations.
If Anything Changes
If your tax status changes or you stop paying taxes, let us know. We want to ensure we are always compliant with HMRC regulations.
If you need to notify us of any changes to your personal details or withdraw from the scheme, please email the team at Supportus@acornvillages.com
Heather and Dave - Onsite Shop Volunteers
"We have supported events at Acorn Village for several years because we knew a resident here. It was during the launch of the 50th Birthday Sunflower Appeal in Summer 2025, that we were motivated to help Acorn raise funds. We now volunteer in the on-site shop. Meeting the residents on a regular basis, the wide variety of customers and donors we see and raising further funds via the till is what makes our volunteering so worthwhile for us."