Retail volunteer in Hayle

This is an exciting time to join Cornwall Hospice as we adapt to a rapidly changing retail environment. We’re focused on building a successful business to help fund the outstanding adult hospice care we offer people in Cornwall. Ultimately everything we do comes back to caring for our community and improving the lives of our patients. If you’d like to be a part of a charity team that really makes a difference, then Cornwall Hospice might be just the right place for you.

Our Cornish charity provides 24/7 support for people with terminal illnesses, caring for patients and their families at Mount Edgcumbe Hospice in St Austell and at St Julia’s Hospice in Hayle. We have shops and donation centres across the county, each with a wonderfully dedicated team of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to help fund the amazing work we do.

The role of a retail volunteer is varied, interesting and rewarding, and no two days are the same! You can learn how to spot if an item is fake or designer, serve our loyal customers at the till or help create our award-winning window displays. On the shop floor, our volunteers help arrange our stock, keeping the rails and shelves full of fabulous, donated items and provide great customer service, greeting shoppers with a warm welcome and helping them with their purchases. If you prefer to be in the back room, you’ll be helping to sort and prepare the donations ready to sell. You may find a rare book, that perfect little black dress or an unusual CD; what we’re sure of is that you’ll have fun, make friends and feel valued.

• Serving on the till or working on the shop floor helping our customers.
• Promoting our Cornwall Hospice Lottery.
• Processing Gift Aid donations.
• Hanging, sizing, ticketing, pricing and steaming clothing and textiles.
• Sorting, cleaning and ticketing donated bric-a-brac goods.
• Restocking shelves and rails on the shop floor.
• Creating eye-catching window and stock displays for the shop.

Most of our shops are currently open from Monday to Saturday but we hope Sunday opening is coming to many locations in 2024. We ask you to do either a morning or an afternoon shift, but you can do as many or as few hours as you like. Retail Volunteers will be asked to attend meetings or training where appropriate.

Volunteer skills and qualities:

• Courteous, friendly and approachable.
• Possess good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Be able to cope in a busy environment.
• Enjoy meeting and dealing with a variety of people.
• Be able to work effectively in a team.
• Have a good understanding of confidentiality.
• Have a good understanding of personal and professional boundaries.
• Sense of humour.
• Commitment to the ethos of Cornwall Hospice.

Induction and Training

All new retail volunteers are asked to attend a local induction session covering topics including the code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, fire evacuation procedures, infection prevention and control measures as well as other relevant Hospice information. Volunteers will be asked to complete some mandatory training sessions to keep up to date with organisational and legal regulation changes. We hope each volunteer maintains regular contact with the Volunteer Services team and takes responsibility for communication regarding their role and responsibilities.

What you can expect from Cornwall Hospice:

• To be valued and respected.
• To receive appropriate induction and training.
• To have adequate support and supervision.
• To have a safe working environment.
• To be reimbursed for reasonable out of pocket expenses.

Retail volunteers will be invited to attend first conversation and shadowing shift in the retail location of their choice, with staff members.