I did my first session of volunteering in a brand new charity shop and ended up coming home with a pack of swimming nappy pants for whichever grandchild they'll fit. A hat to replace one I lost somewhere, a nice big shopping bag and a book called " Year Round Things to Do". Which is a new version of an old book I had when I ran the Cub Scouts. It's full of ideas for crafts and other bits and bobs for children to do each month.
We get 20% off the labelled price so I paid £4.80.
The charity is called Home Start and after they lost County Council funding the local group opened a small charity shop in Eye earlier this year and now this new shop which is slap bang in the middle of Stowmarket.
I had volunteered to make some sense out of their books which had more-or-less just been shoved on the shelves any old how. I found I hadn't forgot how to quickly get the fiction in alphabetical order and the non-fiction into subjects, despite not working in libraries since 1980. I made a list of what labels they needed for the shelf edges too.
At the moment the store and stock rooms are in one-heck of a muddle, people are bringing in stuff by the bagful every day and there are nowhere enough volunteers yet. The one paid lady-in-charge is only supposed to do 30 hours but in the first two weeks she's done 50 hours each week! I was there for 4 hours and the shop was amazingly busy. I'm not sure about learning to work the till yet so I'll be back room for the time being.
Stowmarket already had 8 charity shops, this one makes 9 and there's a shop being fitted out as we speak for an RSPCA charity shop - is there enough STUFF in the houses of Stow for 10 charity shops? By the look of it - yes. There have been moans about the number of charity shops in the past but it's better than them standing empty and now there are no small shops empty in the town centre at all.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
I'm shocked that Home Start has lost funding. Thank goodness there are people willing and able to step in and help to support.
ReplyDelete(Maybe Children in Need could help?)
xx
I think thats what they said although it might be just some of it lost. The charity shop took over £1,000 in the first few days!
DeleteOh well done - it sounds like you are going to be much-needed if it's so busy with stuff and folk coming in. You got some good buys anyway - should help fill that car boot gap over the winter months!
ReplyDeleteNovember was supposed to be a low spend month!
DeleteI used to volunteer in a charity shop, doing 2 shifts a week, really enjoyed it, although like you I did tend to buy things! Something that shocked me, though, was the amount of theft there was - customers stealing. From a charity shop, really?! The manager said it was because they thought it didn't matter, as the stuff had been donated!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how it will work out after being self employed for so long with the campsite etc I'm not used to doing anything on a regular basis and getting there on time!
DeleteWell done - and your community - for keeping Home Start going. My SIL works in a CS and I have heard her make similar comments. I love CS, they tick so many boxes. Charity, environmental, recycling, community, thrift....
ReplyDeleteThere are moans about there being so many charity shops in one town but they seem to be needed
DeleteIts nice when people,like your self give their time to volunteering in charity shops.We have about 12 in the city center and they are always busy.I love them,but Im afraid that if I worked in one,I would be buying stuff every time I was there!xx
ReplyDeleteI think buying things - hopefully useful - will be a problem
DeleteI did smile Sue, we are so alike I think I would be bring things back each time too. Such a shame about the lack of funding.
ReplyDeleteI mustn't spend so much next time but then on the other hand if I see something useful then it would be daft not to!
DeleteI volunteer in a swap shop that does textile upcycling and it’s a great way to save clothes, shoes etc from landfill. No money changes hands. The problem is, people bring me textiles from home because they know I sew and I currently have a mountain of cloth waiting to be made into bags! I support CS as a first port of call as we have rather a lot in my home town.
ReplyDeleteWith 10 in Stowmarket there will be plenty of choice!
DeleteWell you will get first look at what comes in. Worked for Save the Children years ago, it was always lively. My daughter runs two charity shops and complains bitterly of all the stuff 'dumped'. Sometimes people do not sort their stuff, just throw it out, and then has to go to the rag man or the tip.
ReplyDeleteIT's the dirty stuff I couldn't believe - yuck, the manager is taking it home to wash - I wouldn't want that job
DeleteMore charity shops means more stuff gets recycled. I wish we had more here, we have enough empty shops which could be put to good use.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of stuff donated already is amazing.
DeleteAll these charity shops are good for recycling especially when so many of us bloggers are often decluttering!
ReplyDeleteI am a trained Home Start volunteer - have not been doing it now though since I worked full time but it is a very worthwhile and satisfying job to have helping those in need with children to give them a better start. It was through the training that I learned a lot myself especially about safety in the home where fire is concerned. One of the roles of a Home Start volunteer is to advise (in a non judgemental way) about any risks that they notice when in someones home like having a fireguard etc. It was after my fire safety training that DH and I put together a proper fire escape plan for our home and the children - luckily we have never needed to use it. What a shame they lost funding - in some way they replaced the health visitors who would drop in for a friendly chat and some advice when called on.
Must be a bit too tempting though to work there!
I hadn't realised there were no such thing as health visitors anymore. Home Start visitors do a good job, the local group also runs a drop in centre and helps on the local army bases where there are always young mums with no family around
DeleteThere are still Health Visitors (I believe) but you rarely get a visit from one - more viists if there are any serious concerns or I think you can ask for a visit. Mine came every week back in the 80's then every month for quite a long time as norm, we became good friends and she was full of good advice but I know some people who thought of them as interfering. My daughter only ever had one visit when Little L was born.
DeleteIts a good job you're a volunteer and not a paid employee. I suspect your wages could be swallowed up! It sounds like you'd be an asset.
ReplyDeleteAt least I'll be able to keep the books sorted and tidy- after all the library years.
DeleteGood that you know the alphabet and can sort by subject....well done you
DeleteI volunteered in a charity shop for 18months - it was hard work but I enjoyed it and met a couple of folk who have become friends. I found that the novelty of buying stuff wore off after initial splurges!
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of stairs up to the sorting and storing rooms above the charity shop so I should keep fit too! I'm glad the novelty wears off - don't want too much temptation
DeleteIt sounds like they need you there and you are enjoying yourself. I find volunteering very rewarding and I hope you do also.
ReplyDeleteMy problem will be getting used to regular times and someone being in charge as I was self employed with campsite and smallholding and my own boss for so many years!
DeleteI have been volunteering in a charity shop one morning a week for a couple of months. I really enjoy it - and most weeks I end up buying something! I joke that I am paying them for me to work there :)
ReplyDeleteI hope I can keep going to help - I'll see how it goes
DeletePerhaps you'll have to leave your cards at home and only take a small amount of cash!
ReplyDeleteArilx
I only use cash anyway for almost everything
DeleteI know the feeling only too well of being the only paid member of the workforce in charity shops and the hours you end up working. I was once in on Boxing Day marking the Christmas cards down to half price and having a good old tidy up in the stockroom while it was quiet after the rush that had been Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThat's how my rather large book collection began too, so much is donated and it's VERY hard to resist. I should imagine all the charity shops will do very well even if there does seem to be a lot of them, especially at this time of year. In Prestatyn there are loads of charity shops all along the main shopping street.
The popular misconception of course is that they pay no rent or rates, totally NOT the case.
The shop is not going to be open everyday because they need several more volunteers, they have some being checked but I wouldn't want to be a paid helper and have to do so many extra hours
DeleteThey receive a business rates reduction of 80%. Some councils also reduce the remaining 20%.
DeleteWell I have worked for three of the main charities that have shops in this country, and for a hospice in Cumbria where I ran two of their shops, and neither our rent nor rates were reduced during that time. One charity that I did some work for took over a long empty shop and they did get a grace period with neither rent or rates needing to be paid but that was the exception.
DeleteWhat charity shops DO get are tax concessions as they are usually registered as charities.
They are supposed to get business rate reduction of 80%.
DeleteI think it's wonderful that you are volunteering there! The bonus being you can get your charity shopping fix done at the same time, you're just being sensible! :-) ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteTrouble is I won't have time to get round all the other charity shops!
DeleteWith some trepidation I persuaded my husband to volunteer at the charity shop after he retired and we moved. He was a university professor, very absent minded and an introvert. He loves it! In fact he has expanded his role. He does come home with "gems" but it is all part of the fun, I consider the purchase a donation to a good cause. Hopefully when they get more volunteers your manager won't have to take so much on. In "our" shop clothes are not washed just steamed and hung up.
ReplyDeleteI think some things were too dirty for steaming - most are just steamed.
DeleteWell done to your husband, glad he enjoys it
Sounds like working in a sweet shop when you love chocolate to me Sue.
ReplyDeleteYes you are too right!
DeleteGood for you, Sue..............Col will be looking down proudly.
ReplyDeleteor saying I'm mad!
DeleteI think it is great that you have so many charity shops! In my nearest town, Koblenz, there is only an Oxfam shop, where they are very picky about the things they take. So when I declutter, I don´t know where to take most of the things I want to get rid of and end up keeping them.
ReplyDeleteMost towns have several, some people complain there are too many
DeleteI wish there were more charity shops over here. I miss them. You can always find such great things in them and it's a great way to get rid of unwanted things. I'm not sure about volunteering in one! Me being around so many books would not be a good thing. I'd probably be bringing home waaayyy too many! Glad you're getting them organised - sound like a true book lover!
ReplyDelete