A teenager who spends time volunteering in a popular charity shop says she loves helping others, learning new skills and building relationships with older people.
Fifteen-year-old Faith Hawes lends a hand in the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) store in Bury St Edmunds, every Saturday morning.
She started earlier this year as volunteering is part of her Duke of Edinburgh Award.
However, having got the bug, she is keen to carry on and sees it as a welcome opportunity to do something “selfless, productive and beneficial”.
“I really enjoy it,” said the keen footballer, who has just begun her GCSE year.
“For my Duke of Edinburgh Award, volunteering was the part I’d been putting off the longest.
“There are two other sections, which both seemed easier to achieve.
“One is a physical element, which was already sorted because I play football. Then for the skill section, I went for cooking as I enjoy doing that at home.
“The volunteering part seemed the hardest, and I thought it was going to be complicated to organise. In fact, it couldn’t have been easier.
“I wrote to the manager here, and he phoned back very quickly to arrange an interview. It went well and I started the following week.”
Faith, who regularly visits charity shops with her mum, hasn’t looked back and enjoys sorting through donations, including clothes and books, and making things look “neat and tidy” on the shop floor.
She also loves mixing with older people – staff, fellow volunteers and customers.
“I was a bit nervous to start with, but those nerves quickly disappeared, mainly because everyone was so friendly and welcoming,” she said.
“I didn’t feel out of place, and it’s nice being around older, more knowledgeable people, because I spend my whole week with friends and people my own age.
“It’s a chance to connect with people I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to talk to or spend time with.
“Although we get lots done, we’re not under too much pressure, so we’re able to chat at the same time.
“I’ve met some really interesting people, and I prefer that to being on my own at home on a Saturday morning.
“I know I’m going to have to spend more time studying and revising this year, but I think volunteering might be a welcome distraction. It’ll give me a break and the chance to focus on something else for a while.”
Faith says she would recommend volunteering to anyone, especially friends and like-minded teenagers keen to make a difference.
“It’s very beneficial, and I know they’d love it and find it fulfilling,” she said.
“It’s a chance to learn new things – skills for life, in some cases – and it looks good on a CV.
“I like finding out more about retail and find it genuinely interesting.
“It’s such a friendly environment, and I feel I can make a difference, just by giving an hour of my time.
“It flies past, and, by the time I go home, I feel I’ve done something worthwhile and productive to help others.
“When I’m in the shop, I feel good. It doesn’t seem like a chore, and it’s something I genuinely enjoy. It’s become part of my Saturday routine.
“My mum and dad are all for it, and they’re proud that I’m helping out.
“They drive me here and pick me up, but I know they don’t mind, because they’re so supportive of what I’m doing.”
To find out more about volunteering for EACH, pop into your local shop for a chat, click here, email volunteering@each.org.uk or call 01223 205183 (option four).
