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Volunteer Stories

Whether you can spare a day or a week, whatever time you can give, we'd love for you to join us as a volunteer. There's a huge variety of roles in our retail department - from listing items on our eBay shop at our Warehouse, to chatting to customers behind the till in one of our 44 shops. There's bound to be a role for you. We spoke to Sally, who volunteers in our Downend shop about why she loves volunteering.

Can you tell us how you started volunteering?

I retired in 2020 and always thought that I'd like to volunteer in a charity shop. I wanted to volunteer for a good cause and my best friend's husband was supported by the Hospice as well as several colleagues and families where I worked before retirement. The Downend shop is local to me and when I saw that they had a role available, I popped in and met with Jess, the Shop Manager.

What sort of thing does your role involve?

We get some fantastic items donated here, with good quality brands and I sort them when we get them in. I sometimes cover the till too. If there's anything that needs doing, I'll do it - I'm tall so I'm always asked to reach the top of the shelves!

We hear you're into sewing, can you tell us more?

I don't like waste, so I've been known to take something home, wash it and repair it and then bring it back to the shop to be sold. I love crafting and sewing - I've been sewing since I was six, but there's only so much I can sew for myself. I watched a YouTube video of how to upcycle jeans and found out how to make bags from the ones that are damaged or badly worn and can't be sold here in the shop. Every bag is different, and they sell really well.

I recently made a kimono out of a quilt. The quilt couldn't be sold as it had holes in it, so I made it into something that could be.

What do you enjoy most about being a volunteer?

I love the people and have made new friends - you meet all sorts of people here. But it's also about feeling that I'm doing something good for a worthy cause.

Volunteer in our shops