More help needed for shop

A charity shop that raises money for specialist respite centres is looking for more volunteers.

The Sue Ryder shop, Forest Road, Ollerton, has two paid staff and relies on seven volunteers who work a couple of hours each day.

The shop is open 9am-5pm, Monday to Saturday, selling donated items such as clothes, books, CDs and DVDs.

The manager, Mrs Sharon Allen (42) hopes to find five to ten new volunteers to work for a couple of hours each day.

She said: “We have got all different kinds of people who volunteer for us. You’ve got to be quite fit because you are on your feet most of the time, mainly sorting and merchandising and we have someone on the till as well.”

Mrs Allen said some volunteers had recently left because of illness and they had found it difficult to replace them.

She said: “People have less free time now but any free time they do have spare to give to us would be lovely.

“It will benefit them because volunteering is a good way to meet new people and make new friends.”

The Sue Ryder foundation runs hospices and respite centres for people with long-term and terminal conditions such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Mrs Allen said: “Although the nearest care home to us is in Yorkshire, Sue Ryder is always branching out.”

“It is important we get volunteers so we can get the best possible merchandise out as quickly as we can so we can raise as much money as possible.”

The charity is also starting to offer care in the home where nurses visit people and give advice and support to their families.

Volunteers and staff at the Ollerton shop can study for NVQ qualifications in customer care in retail.

The NVQ course is being run by Nottingham-based recruitment company Protocol and it will take staff between six and 12 months to achieve their qualification.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact the shop on 01623 835522.