Retail is taking off
Volunteering in our Charity Shops in Mare Street and Well Street has become very popular since opening. Our shops are really busy with plenty of regular customers popping in and we’ve just opened some new pop ups.
By Simon Bennett, Voluntary Services Manager
Volunteering in retail is really varied as it takes quite a lot of different roles to serve our local community.
Volunteering in our Charity Shops in Mare Street and Well Street has become very popular since opening. Our shops are really busy with plenty of regular customers popping in and with the recent opening of our new Five Sisters Home and Five Sisters Book stores we’re taking Mare Street by storm.
Our volunteers are there before the shop opens in the morning, cleaning, making sure it’s tidy for our customers, they’re also checking that all the merchandise is on the right hanger and that all the items for sale are priced up.
Once they open, the work doesn’t stop there, from sorting out donations and pricing them to making sure that they don’t run out of stock. They are also checking to make sure that all the shelves are neat and tidy. Then there is the part that nearly all volunteers enjoy, and that’s being on the till and serving our customers.
Joyce, one of our volunteers, says she loves working with her regular customers who come in to the store, ‘you get used to seeing them’. Rob another of our volunteers said, that he ‘loves doing anything that helps out the hospice’, he also enjoys meeting people and helping them. He said that it ‘makes you feel humble’ being able to help others. Joyce also said that volunteering helps with her mental health, by helping to get her out and interact with others.
If you are interested in joining our warm and friendly retail team, please get in touch with Julie Whetton- j.whetton@stjh.org.uk