Have a heart and lend a hand

7:00pm Sunday 26th August 2007

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IT was a bit like being an extra in a new television sitcom with a larger than life cast, a well-written script, and even a surprise guest star too!

When I'd arranged to spend a morning working as a volunteer at a local charity shop, I had no idea it would turn out to be such good fun.

The reason for my visit was to highlight a new campaign by the British Heart Foundation to encourage more people in Dorset to work at their local BHF store.

To be honest I'd never even considered it before. I figured voluntary work was only for strait-laced ladies of a certain age with tidy hair-dos and sensible shoes.

And according to the latest survey I'm not alone. Nearly half the population (42 per cent) has never volunteered in the local community, and a quarter admit that volunteering has never even occurred to them.

That's why the BHF is keen to encourage more people to put their time, skills and talent to good use through voluntary work.

Any preconceived ideas I might have had were soon kicked into touch as soon as I arrived at the busy charity store in Poole High Street.

The banter between the volunteers and staff was constant. It was clear that they all got on well and enjoyed their work.

Just as I was settling in with a nice cup of tea, the Echo photographer announced that "a naked man" was about to turn up at the shop for a photo shoot!

This prompted much hilarity among the ladies. Apparently he was hoping to raise funds for the charity by offering his services as a scantily-clad cleaner.

When the man in question later arrived looking extremely nervous with only a tool belt to protect his modesty, most of the volunteers - some of whom were in their 80s - were quite unfazed.

A few of them even posed alongside him for the cameras armed with pink feather dusters. You couldn't make it up!

The rest of the morning was spent sorting out clothes, tagging and steaming them and getting them ready for the shop floor.

There was plenty to do, plenty of laughs and all in all it was an enjoyable experience.

Shop manager, Sheila Goridge believes it's important that the volunteers enjoy what they do.

"They don't get paid a bean and although it's all for a good cause it makes a big difference if they can have fun at the same time."

Jessie Hughes, one of the shop's 18 volunteers, who has worked there for 13-and-a-half years, said it gave her a purpose.

"When your family grows up and moves away you can either sit around at home being miserable or you can get out and do something useful."

Assistant manager Kay Barrow, one of the newest members of the team, said she had been made to feel welcome immediately.

"I have worked in normal retail and it can get a bit boring because you always know what you're dealing with and you know what the prices will be and so on.

"However every day here is different, You never know what's going to come in and you get to do everything from sorting out the clothes, organising the displays, selling, pricing and steaming - there's more variety."

But Debbie Cheeseman, area manager, said it's becoming more and more of a struggle to recruit enough volunteers.

"We are crying out for more volunteers, particularly in Christchurch, Winton, Boscombe and New Milton.

"It's a different culture now. More women are working and have their own careers and a lot have to help out with their grandchildren.

"It used to be the case that if you couldn't do a full day you didn't get the job but now we will take anyone who is prepared to give even a few hours of their time.

"It's very flexible. There really are a huge number of roles available to suit a whole range of people whatever time and skills they have to spare.

"We also get a lot of competition from cheap retail stores now and people tend to donate more to the cancer charities even though heart disease claims more lives.

"Most people know someone affected by heart disease and by joining the team of BHF volunteers it can make a real difference."

To locate your local BHF shop and find out more about volunteering opportunities in Dorset, call 0844 412 5000 or visit bhf.org.uk/shops.