Volunteers are desperately needed for shops which raise money towards a charity that cares for young people with life-threatening illnesses.
An appeal is being renewed by the Haven House Children's Hospice in Woodford Green for people “to help make a difference” to the lives of seriously unwell children and their families.
Volunteers are needed to run its seven fundraising charity shops.
Grandmother Sian Keirle helps at the Leytonstone shop after she lost her job in the City.
“I wanted to do something meaningful after being made redundant,” she said.
“Supporting a local charity really appealed to me, doing something that helps others.”
The 60-year-old worked in the City for 34 years for client technology services and was responsible for a team of six staff.
“I was only 55 when made redundant,” Sian said.
“So I wanted to keep busy using my customer skills and help a local charity — Haven House was perfect.
“It was originally intended as a temporary thing but with Covid and the birth of my grandson I never went back to full-time work.”
She does two days at the Leytonstone High Road shop and has now expanded her volunteering by helping out with weekend music therapy sessions at the hospice, which has given her “a new purpose”.
Haven House charity shops are in Leytonstone, Loughton, Chingford, Romford and Epping, as well as Crouch End in north London.
The charity is also looking for helpers at fundraising summer and autumn events like its forthcoming bike ride.
Haven House human resources director Sarah Spackman said: “Everything we do has volunteers stitched into it. Their support helps us save running costs. We simply couldn’t do without our volunteers.”
The 300 Haven House volunteers have logged more than 7,000 hours in the past 12 months alone, helping in the shops, at fundraising events, managing office duties, tending the garden or supporting sibling activity days.
It would have cost the charity £100,000 to pay staff to cover those hours on London Living Wage, it is estimated.
That money, instead, has gone into care services for children and their families.
Anyone willing to help can sign up on the volunteer page of the charity’s havenhouse.org.uk website or email volunteering@havenhouse.org.uk.
Share