View from volunteer (From Halesowen News)

View from volunteer

11:20am Wednesday 8th July 2009

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I am a 70 year old pensioner with a lot of time on my hands so I decided to volunteer for a few days a week in a charity shop.

I made a lot of good friends and the manager was hard working and cared for her staff, often going out of her way. It is a pity that the area managers and above did not do the same.

Most live many miles away and do not have a clue about the areas that they were in charge of and what customers were prepared to spend.

Managers were often left to run the shops on their own without any staff but were still expected to carry out the impossible demands without question.

Some things I could not see the reasoning behind and not because I am elderly or non progressive.

The staff were sold to push for sales items that in this particular shopping centre were cheaper and had 26 other outlets selling the same product but better quality, being told to have plain and minimalistic window displays when you are trying to compete with nine other charity shops in the area.

No decorations or a tree at Christmas charity shops being allowed a festive eye catching window, mush to the staff and customers disapproval. Why?

I have seen the dark side of working in a charity shop and witnessed happy, cheerful managers in several shops being reduced to a worn out and demoralised shell and I am sure that people reading this can identify wholeheartedly.

Believe me, this is only the tip of the iceberg and it would be interesting to hear comments from other volunteers.

Gordon Evans, Halesowen

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