On Wednesday 10 May, Leeds Trinity University’s Admissions team, the team I work with, took part in a day of volunteering at St Gemma's Hospice’s main hub in Bramley. St Gemma's is a Leeds-based charity providing expert care and support for people living with life-limiting and terminal illnesses. It’s the largest hospice in Yorkshire and of the biggest in the UK. As well as the hospice, the organisation also run charity shops to support their important work, and it was in one of their Leeds-based charity shops where we volunteered. We were all excited to do our bit for such an important and inspiring charity and were ready to help however we could.
When we arrived, we were welcomed into an expansive warehouse at the back of the shop, filled with rows of clothes, toys, books, bric-a-brac… you name it, it was there. The wonderful regular volunteers were all too happy to give us a tour and tell us all about the hard work that goes on at the charity - from organising the warehouse, running the main shop and driving the vans out to the local shops linked to the charity. The volunteers work tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly and we were going to get a taste of what that entailed.
We were separated into groups: the clothes taggers, the book sorters and the shop workers, and it's fair to say we all had our share of stories to tell by the end of the day.
The clothes taggers oversaw sorting clothes. This meant working our way through boxes of both new and pre-loved clothes, sizing them, tagging them, then hanging them on a huge rail so we could see how many we had got through. This task required skill with scissors whilst cutting out labels, and precision with the sharp tagging gun, for obvious reasons.
The book-sorters also had an interesting day sifting through the eclectic mix of books that had found their way into the warehouse. Our volunteer book-sorters found enough sellable books within the mountainous pile to make around £150, making the hard work worthwhile. With books covering topics from romance to self-help, the team were kept entertained throughout the day, and learnt a thing or two.
In the back of the main shop, our volunteers were tasked with picking out clothes to be displayed in the shop whilst working closely with one of the regular volunteers. It was insightful to see the level of commitment the volunteers have and how much effort they put into ensuring that the shop is a success, with some of them working there five days a week from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Their passion and dedication are admirable. It was clear that the volunteers love what they do and are determined to make a difference. Thanks to their hard work, the Bramley shop alone can make around £700 a day to help the charity.
All in all, the team had a fantastic day that was made all the greater by knowing that we had helped such a worthy cause. Some of our highlights included learning to use the (alarmingly loud) clothes steamer, rediscovering childhood favourites within the vast selection of books and above all, spending time together whilst supporting the wonderful St Gemma's Hospice and its volunteers. We would help again in a heartbeat and would encourage anyone with some free time to do so, too. Not only are you helping a great cause, but you can learn and develop new skills and make friends.
Jennifer Rushworth, Administrator in Admissions at Leeds Trinity University.