Make friends, have fun and raise money to help people in crisis by volunteering at your British Red Cross charity shop in Plymouth

A friendly team of volunteers at the British Red Cross charity shop in Cornwall Street, Plymouth are looking for new recruits to give some free time in exchange for a fun, sociable way to make a difference to people in crisis.

Volunteering in a Red Cross shop is something anyone can do, whether they have several afternoons a week to spare, or just a few hours each Saturday morning. The reward is the chance to learn new skills and socialise with other local people, knowing you’re contributing to raising money for Red Cross services helping others in your local community.

Although the charity is well-known for its work overseas, the Red Cross supports thousands of people each year in the UK too by helping people regain their independence after a health crisis, being the biggest provider of support to refugees and asylum seekers adjusting to life in a new country, and teaching life-saving first aid.

Tim Hill, 46, has volunteered at the Red Cross shop for six months. He was encouraged to try volunteering after the breakdown of his marriage and losing a job he loved lead to depression.

He explained: “I started at Red Cross back in July last year. I was unemployed and life changing events had brought an uncertainty and lack of self-belief. I thought my whole reason for being had been lost in my past. Then, through a great friend, I did a volunteer taster session with the team at the Red Cross shop in Cornwall Street and it’s turned my life around.”

Tim now volunteers four days each week greeting customers in the shop and working on the till.

“I really enjoy my role. I like to build up a rapport with the customers and we have many regulars that I know on a first name basis. When I was suffering with depression I knew I had to do something to try to turn things around. Coming into the shop gives me something positive to do during the week.

“We’re very much a family here and support each other to develop our skills. Since I have been with the Red Cross I have completed a diploma course in customer services and I’ve now started a managerial course which will enable me to become a ‘core’ volunteer. That means I will take on extra responsibilities. Not only is this good for my personal development, it is great to add to my CV as I look for paid work.

“The best thing about being a volunteer is knowing I’m making a difference to someone else’s life. It’s a great honour to be part of such a fantastic organisation as the Red Cross. I’d encourage anyone to get involved. Volunteering can be whatever you want it to be –we’re a really close team and we each play our own role in making a difference to someone less fortunate.”

Acting-shop manager Zoe Stokes, who also started as a volunteer five years ago, says: “Volunteering in our shop is very sociable. Lots of people find they make life-long friends and get satisfaction out of doing something useful at the heart of their local community.

“You might be a rummager with a flair for finding hidden treasures, or perhaps you enjoy a chinwag and meeting new people. You don’t need lots of time or special skills to volunteer, just a bit of kindness.”

Tim may have found an extended family at the shop, but for volunteers Shirley Lloyd and Nessa Ebsworth, it really is a family affair. The mother and daughter both regularly volunteer at the shop together.

Since joining, Nessa has developed her skills and become a lead volunteer, and her Mum, Shirley, works in the back office pricing stock and answering the phone.

Shirley said: “I noticed how volunteering had really improved Nessa’s confident levels. I was just sat at home most of the day so decided to volunteer too. I do it for the company. I work on the computer and sometimes place items on Ebay if I think they will raise more money that way. We once sold a Burberry handbag on Ebay and it made about £100.”

The British public love charity shops and see them as an important part of their community[1]. Charity shops make a positive contribution to the environment, with each charity shop diverting an average of 30 tonnes of textiles each year from landfill, according to the Charity Retail Association[2]. And in 2015 research showed four in five of us had visited a charity shop in the last year, up from two thirds a decade before.

The shop at Cornwall Street in Plymouth receives around 100 bags of donations each week containing everything from clothing and shoes to bric-a-brac, books and kitchenware.

To find out about volunteering at the shop contact Zoe Stokes on 01752 603 771 or email zstokes@redcross.org.uk. Or pop into the shop at 90 Cornwall Street, Plymouth, PL1 1NF.

The British Red Cross has more than 320 charity shops across the UK. Find out more http://www.redcross.org.uk/en/Get-involved/Volunteer/Retail-our-shops