“I am fairly new to the role, having joined in February this year. I oversee the warehouse in Berkhamsted which houses our eBay arm, and is a busy hub where donations are sorted for transporting to our 32 shops. I also look after our fleet of vans which are vital in the transfer of stock and are driven mainly by volunteers. Every day is different – no two days are the same, that’s for sure.
I’m out and about a lot collecting stock, waiting for deliveries, and at the warehouse base ensuring everything is tidy, the vans are loaded, and all the paperwork is done. It’s such a varied role and I really enjoy it – we get all sorts of donations coming through, so it’s very interesting. The scale of the Retail & Trading operation we run is huge – I don’t think you’d expect that until you saw it! I haven’t worked in charity before and the role is different from what I’ve been used to, so I’m learning a lot as I’m going along and meeting new people. It’s a very social role, interacting with the rest of the team, and the managers and volunteers out in the shops.
I feel a strong connection with the cause as well, and that was a big factor in deciding to apply for the job. I grew up in Watford so I knew of the Peace Hospice and my mum actually worked at the Peace Memorial Hospice, before it became a Hospice. Now, I live near Hemel so was aware of Rennie Grove too and the work they do. I feel in this role that what I do makes a real difference and it’s so worthwhile, which is a great feeling.
One key part of my role is responsibility for our volunteer van drivers. Without these volunteers our shops would struggle to function – they are a vital connection between the Retail & Trading hub and our shops, scattered in our communities. They ensure we’re able to rotate stock and send items through to our eBay function. They also get to know the shop managers and build up a great rapport, take back unwanted items and just generally lend a hand however they can. Liasing with our managers, they can then bring any issues or actions back to me. The role is really sociable and all of my current drivers really enjoy what they do. It’s great for them to get out and meet people, but also do something that allows them to build new relationships, improve their general wellbeing, and do something which makes such a huge difference.”
If you can share a few hours a week to join our team of volunteer van drivers, please click here.