Marcus aims to sparkle up retail!

New ideas, fresh vibes, and plenty of reasons to pop in and shop – our new Head of Retail brings his magic to Little Valley

I’m delighted to introduce myself as the new Head of Retail at Little Valley. After many years in commercial retail, including senior roles at Debenhams, I’m incredibly proud to bring my experience to a cause I care about. I started at Little Valley as a volunteer with the dog team, and it quickly became clear how much I wanted to contribute further. Now, taking on the role of Head of Retail feels like a real privilege, and I’m excited to help drive the charity’s retail growth and success.

I’ve spent over four decades in multi-site retail management, leading large teams, turning around under-performing stores, and delivering results. I’ve always believed that great retail is about great people – and from what I’ve seen here at Little Valley, we’ve got that in abundance. I’d like to thank John for his work over the past four years. I’m keen to take things forward with fresh energy, a clear focus, and an ambitious plan for growth.

We’ve already had a great start with the opening of our brand-new Tiverton shop. It was a real joy to be there on the day, alongside the Mayor and so many of our supporters. Huge congratulations to our brilliant Shop Manager Bex and her Deputy, Jodie – the shop looks amazing and the feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive. I also want to thank the incredible team of volunteers who gave so much time and energy to get us up and running. You’ve done us proud. Thank you too to all the staff, volunteers and customers across our other shops who’ve welcomed me so warmly. I’ve been out visiting as many of you as possible, and it’s been inspiring to see the dedication, creativity and passion in every shop.

So, what’s next? My goal is to make our shops the very best they can be – places that are friendly, inspiring, and full of great finds. I want our shops to be at the heart of their communities, attracting new customers, increasing donations, and raising vital funds for the animals in our care. We’ll be looking closely at how we can grow, both on the high street and online, and how we can support our people with the tools, training and motivation they need to thrive. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together. Thank you for the warm welcome – and I look forward to working with you all.