Shop and Warehouse Volunteers
Variety of work available
There are approximately 300 volunteers working within our shops and warehouse and the type of work available ranges from sorting items to helping maximise sales in our shops.
Opportunities are also available for drivers to help deliver stock to our shops, enabling us to trade over a six day period.
The revenue raised by Willen Hospice shops contributes approximately 25% of fundraising income, and without the contribution made by our volunteers this source of income would certainly diminish.
Spotlight on the Warehouse
Warehouse operations are overseen by the Managers, Christine and Linda. Vans bring in donations - the black sacks are placed in bays.
Textiles
10-12 tons of textiles arrive each week. Volunteers sort into 3 Categories:
- Nearly new clothes etc and household items are hung, steamed if necessary and priced ready for transport to the shops
- Cotton rags - are sold to garages
- Other rags and poor quality bags and shoes are sold on at profit
Julie and Jo sort Vintage Clothing
Books and Bric a Brac
Books are sorted and sent to the Bookshop. Bric a Brac is priced ready for delivery to the shops.
Antiques and Collectables
These are assessed by the managers and sold on eBay if appropriate or sent to a shop.
Delivery
The van has a set route each day delivering goods to the shops and returning with donations. David has volunteered as a driver, and driver's mate since 1994 and Terry joined him 5 years ago after some hospice-based volunteering.
Newport Pagnell - a typical Willen Hospice Shop
Newport Pagnell is a typical Willen Hospice Shop. 26 Volunteers cover the various shifts throughout the week and training in the many aspects of the enterprise is handled by Karen, the Manager. Donations have to be carefully sorted.
- CLOTHES: Non-saleable items are put into white sacks and following a twice-weekly collection by the Warehouse, they are sold for rags. Official pricing guidelines are used for the good clothes. If there are a number of similar garments, they are put into black sacks, taken to the Warehouse, re-sorted and distributed to other shops.
- BRIC a BRAC: This is sorted. More valuable items are sent to the Warehouse where Volunteer experts can offer advice about value. Some items are then sold on e-Bay!
Pictured left are John, Ann and Olwen who work in the Newport Pagnell Shop. Ann also represents her fellow volunteers on the Shops Volunteer Forum which meets periodically to discuss concerns and to exchange information.
If you are interested in volunteering please call us on: 01908 306998
or contact us
