A Fort William charity shop manager is appealing for volunteers, saying charities in the town are struggling for help, particularly during the week.
Cancer Research UK shop manager Sharon Smith said: ‘Sometimes I’m here alone and I have to go onto the till myself. I have my assistant manager and three young helpers on Saturdays though.’
Ms Smith is offering to set up taster sessions for prospective volunteers to spend a few hours in the shop to see what is involved.
One volunteer told The Oban Times: ‘I volunteer because I’m retired.
‘I’ve got family members who have been affected by cancer and I want to give something back. Volunteering doesn’t take up your whole life. You can still do things and have time with your family. It’s very flexible if you have holidays or are not well.’
A Highland Hospice volunteer said: ‘If you are retired, volunteering gets you out and about, helping people in the community, but a lot of people are just not interested or don’t want to know.’
PDSA shop manager Caroline Campbell has also had difficulties recruiting. She says the shop is only open on Sundays during the summer as she does not have enough volunteers to open all year, despite advertising for help.
She said: ‘People don’t want to volunteer but we wouldn’t be here without them.’
The PDSA offer volunteers 26 retail training modules, meaning they can come away with a qualification similar to an NVQ, which can help them find employment.
Ms Campbell said: ‘I’ve been the manager for five years and all the young ones that were here are all employed now. They only left here when they got a job.’
Ms Campbell says she also has long-term volunteers, including one who has been helping out for 12 years.
British Heart Foundation has 15 volunteers, ranging in age from 17 to 80, of which 10 volunteer regularly.
Manager Katie MacMillan said: ‘People come to work with us for work experience. It looks good on their CV and it gets them out and doing something.
‘We always need new volunteers. We are a very busy shop with lots to do and we are open seven days a week.’
New Start Highland Volunteer co-ordinator Fiona Rodgers said: ‘A lot of people use volunteering as a replacement for work. It gives them a routine and sense of self-worth and belonging.’
Helping people to build skills and get themselves back into work in this way fits with New Start’s aim to ‘transform Highland lives’.
However, Ms Rodgers says long-term volunteers, such as retirees who want to give something back and have time and life skills – what she calls ‘platinum volunteers’ – are hard to find.
‘As there is no upper age limit for work, you are competing with paid employment. You’re asking for the same level of responsibility, service and customer care but without payment.’
The nature of the work with New Start makes it more difficult as a certain level of physical ability is required to move furniture.
To volunteer in any of the charity shops mentioned, simply visit the shop and ask about opportunities.
There are some charities which have no problem finding volunteers.
Manager of Blythswood Care in Caol, Barbara Matheson, said: ‘We are a very happy and busy shop. I always have people asking to help and lots of stuff coming in.’
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