VOLUNTEERS are needed to support a hospice’s superstore which opened in the summer.
St Richard’s Hospice launched its first ever superstore in Stourport’s Tannery Retail Park in July.
Thousands of shoppers and donors have since been welcomed through its doors, helping to raise vital funds to continue the hospice’s care to patients in Stourport and across the county.
Michelle Chance, Regional Manager with the hospice’s retail team, said: “Our new superstore has been a fantastic success so far, and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who’s shopped with us or donated items.
“We are indebted to our group of volunteers who enable us to open the superstore each day, but we always need more support!
“Put simply, we couldn’t continue our mammoth retail operation across the county without voluntary support to help run our shops and process the huge volume of donations we receive.
“Each year, our 19 shops, online store, and warehouse bring in around £3 million to help us provide our care free-of-charge to the people who need us most.
“If you’d like to join our volunteer team to help us achieve this for those we care for, we’d love to hear from you.”
As well as making a difference to St Richard’s, volunteering brings benefits to the individual including the opportunity to make friends, learn skills, stay active, and boost confidence in the workplace.
Volunteer shifts can be flexible to suit personal schedules, and a range of tasks are available including preparing stock for sale, serving customers, visual merchandising, and much more.
Stella Gurney, who has volunteered at the superstore since it opened, said: “Volunteering has made a whole difference to my world.
“Since I have been volunteering at St Richard’s, my health and wellbeing has improved.
“It has given me a sense of purpose, I have learned new skills, and I have made friends.”
A typical day’s volunteering sees Stella sorting and pricing clothing for sale, putting out stock in store, and keeping displays organised and tidy.
“It is lovely to be a little tiny part of something that, at the end, is going to give somebody that care they need,” she added.
To register an interest in volunteering with the hospice’s retail team, visit www.strichards.org.uk/support-us/register-your-interest-in-volunteering