This Volunteers' Week (3-9 June 2024) we want to celebrate our amazing volunteers.
Find out more about four of our shop volunteers below:
Silvie's story
Silvie is a barrister by profession. She moved to the UK from Nigeria during lockdown and felt isolated. She saw volunteering as a way to connect with her community and to give back. Silvie volunteers in our Mary’s Living & Giving shop in Little Venice, London
“When I moved it was in Covid. There were so many restrictions still in place and one was generally anxious to be out and about,” she says. “But when I started volunteering here the impact for me socially was, I was able to leave the house, come to a safe space receive people. I didn’t know a lot of people moving here. I now know a number of people living in this area, all through the shop.”
“It’s absolutely rewarding for me. Every time I come in I smile, when I’m leaving I’m smiling. You see all sorts of people. All wanting to give back in their own way, donating, buying purchasing items knowing that it’s going further.”
Elizabeth's story
Elizabeth, 76, is a retired economist who has volunteered at the Glasgow Byres Road shop for over a year. The positive atmosphere in the shop has made her feel very supported and validated as a transgender woman.
“I think it's an excellent shop,” she says. “I can say the manager is brilliant, you know, she's great. And we all, I think, work well together. And so when I come here, I feel positive. I'm a transgender woman and I get positive feedback. And I think that's quite important in the climate at the moment, which isn't too positive towards trans people.”
Elizabeth also gets a lot out of chatting to other staff and customers in the shop, and engaging with a diverse range of people. “And you really have some interesting stories,” she says. “I mean, people open up, talk about their lives and people who are asylum seekers and you understand and empathize with them. You know, here they are contributing to our society, volunteering, you know, And I it's very, very impressive, young people particularly so.”
Stephen's story
Stephen volunteers twice a week at the Save the Children shop Glasgow Byres Road. He started volunteering after returning here from London when his job ended. He found it a good way to make a positive contribution, and to meet people, since most of his friends in the area had left.
“It's just such a positive environment. It's such a good vibe to work here and it's never, never dull,” he says. “It's a brilliant way to meet people. You meet lots of interesting people, both the other volunteers and the customers who come in”.
“I’m not just doing this for me, I'm doing it for the kids, for the community, for the charity. And I'm really helping out and I'm really making a positive contribution to what's going on in the world.”
“It's not a huge amount of time, but the benefits you get from are enormous in terms of building your social network, in terms of the benefits of working here and getting access to the kit and just feeling that you're part of something... if you’ve not got a job or if you’re feeling a bit lonely, or if you feel you're excluded from things or if you need to improve your English, or if you need to do something positive for yourself, then it's brilliant for all of that, and it gives you new skills as well.”
Rachel's story
Rachel, 20, is a student who grew up in Hong Kong. She has been volunteering at the Save the Children Nicolson shop in Edinburgh for about three months.
“I was a bit concerned about starting here initially because I've never done any kind of retail adjacent work,” Rachel says. “So it did feel a bit intimidating. But I settled in and my first five minutes. Even today I've met some other volunteers for the first time and it feels like we're friends. You know, everyone here is so kind, so welcoming.”
“I would say it's taught me to be more socially confident. I think, you know, you get used to chatting to people throughout the day. So many strangers come in, but you kind of learn to see the good in everyone.”
“I look forward to Wednesday morning every week. It's a really important time for me to kind of de-stress, talk to people who I enjoy spending time with, and also just do decently good, you know?”
“I like to think I'm quite environmentally conscious. And buying second-hand is one of those things that you can do. And shopping at charity shops in particular, it's an added bonus that that money goes towards a good cause..”
“..every time we make a sale, you know, that's a child's life that's gotten a little bit better, you know, So that it's nice to know.”
Huge thanks to Silvie, Elizabeth, Stephen and Rachel for sharing their stories.
And thank you to all are volunteers from across the UK who give their time, energy and voice to build a better future for children. Their incredible work helps create positive change for children that lasts for generations.
