World Vision UK launches pioneering installation and raises the bar for charity retail

International children’s charity World Vision, announced the launch of a new interactive installation – The Garden of Hope – in one of Europe’s most popular shopping malls, Westfield Stratford City.

Central to the installation is a garden of giant, white jade plants. This feature was inspired by White Jade, a poverty-striken young girl from China, whose situation so deeply moved war reporter Dr. Bob Pierce that he paid for her upbringing and education. Pierce went on to establish World Vision in 1950 helping to transform the lives of millions of children throughout the world.

Working with strategic retail design agency The Yard Creative to take learnings from the ground breaking Story Shop to evolve the charity’s retail offer in premium shopping malls around the UK. The ambition for the next generation retail kiosk was to blur the lines between retail and installation to create an iconic destination that visitors recognise, remember and choose to interact with.

The organic form with eye catching movement stands out against the backdrop of the clean, hard lines of shopping malls and the standard block format of other mid-mall kiosk units. The Garden of Hope is an oasis in the environment; symbolic of the hope, protection and life given to sponsored children, their families and local communities. Natural materials, such as oak, bring a warm and honest feel to the kiosk.

Visitors can learn more about the charity’s work and how they can join the efforts via a range of ways, from buying a Must Have Gift to sponsoring a child. Physical elements such as a weighted jerry can allow visitors to experience the real struggle that some children make for water every day. Digital touch points are integrated throughout the kiosk but human interaction is also incredibly important. The story of child sponsorship is brought to the forefront by allowing visitors to identify a unique child to sponsor there and then.

Tap to donate is promoted to breakdown the barrier of monthly donation and enables visitors to give as much as they can.

The Garden of Hope is able to react rapidly to crisis appeals with all digital elements communicating the crisis and all donations via tap to donate being sent to the appeal.

World Vision UK has again proved to be a progressive and brave organisation challenging the status quo of face-to-face fundraising and trailblazing the place of non-profits with in the premium retail landscape.

Gareth Owen, Head of Supporter Growth at World Vision UK, said:

“World Vision UK is very pleased to offer an innovative new way for us to engage with the public within the retail mall environment. As well as connecting shoppers in the UK with the true-life stories of some of the world’s most vulnerable children around the world, visitors can also find out about the range of ways they can support the charity and make a lasting difference to these children and their communities.”

Source: The Yard Creative

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