Volunteer RSPCA Cumbria West Charity Shop Assistant Whitehaven, England
Job description
Company description
RSPCA Cumbria West Branch is based in Whitehaven, even though we are a part of the RSPCA we are, like all other RSPCA branches, managed as an independent charity.
Our mission is to support the health and welfare of local animals and their owners where appropriate, to prevent cruelty to animals, and encourage the correct treatment of animals through practical support and education.
Our charity is managed from our town centre offices that are above our two shops in the market place, we are unpaid trustees and volunteers, we are all very friendly, and completely animal daft. Between us all here we have a varied age range, gained many life experiences and skills, We are all keen on continuing to learn and live our lives to the full, enjoying each others company and mutual support, whilst providing a vital service which we all believe in and are all absolutely committed to.
Job description
CHARITY SHOP ASSISTANT
Charity Shop Assistant RSPCA Cumbria West Branch
All About Us at Cumbria West
Our charity shop in the heart of Whitehaven is looking for a friendly volunteer to join our team and help make our shops a huge success. Join our dedicated team of animal daft people, make new friends, have fun, and help us help to raise funds to support our local animals!
About our opportunity
As a volunteer Charity Shop Assistant, you would join a small team of volunteers working together with a shop manager, to assist customers with their purchases and complete sales using cash and bank card transactions. Activities will also include keeping the public areas neat and tidy, and making sure our retail areas are full of lovely things for our customers to browse and hopefully buy!
We currently have two retail spaces, one space for clothing and accessories and the other retail space is for bric-a-brac and gifts. These two retail areas are only separated by a very small, covered courtyard, which is also part of our building, so we can work very closely together, and give each other plenty of support.
We offer positive and friendly guidance and support especially with our new volunteers in mind, for those of us who are learning new skills, or for people who may have joined us to gain more confidence and social skills.
We are very aware that many people may need just a little bit of a helping hand to make friends and to socialise, after being confined in their homes for long periods of time, isolated with little social contact, or who may even have been ill, all due to the Covid 19 pandemic. We don’t think there is anyone who hasn’t been affected in one way or another.
All the volunteers and trustees are a mixture of ages, with different personalities and life skills, the thing that consistently brings us all together is our love of everything animal, we would love to hear from you if you think that you could offer us some help make RSPCA Cumbria West a great success and raise vital funds for local animal welfare.
We all also like having a chat, with a cuppa and a cheeky biscuit, so come and meet us!
If you are still not sure about joining us, come and have a chat, or visit us for a couple of days, we can show you around, introduce you to other volunteers and give you a chance to get to know how we work.
About the RSPCA
Founded in 1824 we have been saving animals for almost 200 years and are proud to be the oldest welfare charity around. It has always been our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion, so our volunteers and employees work tirelessly to ensure that all animals can live free from pain and suffering.
About Our Charity Shop in Whitehaven Market Place
The shop is part of the RSPCA Cumbria West Branch building and plays an essential role in raising our profile in our local community and funds raised go to support our branch activities so that we can continue our vital animal welfare work. Our shops sell a mixture of donated items, including clothes, books, bric-a-brac and collectables, and a selection of new items.
We also have positions in our stock, sorting and preparation rooms or you could volunteer to do a mixture of both, either for the long term or to see what preferred!
Every member of the RSPCA West Cumbria Branch Team are unpaid volunteers.
Volunteer Charity Shop Assistant responsibilities
· To welcome customers into our retail areas.
· To be polite and friendly to our customers and to other volunteers.
· Helping customers in the shop find what they need.
· Accepting donations of items and money from the public.
· Processing sales through the till and card machine, including Gift Aid.
· Keeping shop and retail access areas clean and tidy, and free from slip and trip hazards.
· Merchandising stock on the shop floor.
· Creating attractive shop window displays.
· To take instruction and advice from shop managers or trustees regarding the overall management of the retail areas.
What we are looking for in a volunteer Charity Shop Assistant
· Friendly volunteers who are confident talking to people.
· Retail experience would be ideal but is not necessary as full training will be given.
· We are ideally aiming for someone who is flexible and can offer an ongoing commitment predominately when the shop is open, hours are currently 10am until 2pm, Monday to Saturday.
· Good communication and numeracy skills.
· You will need to be aged 16 or over.
· We also travel to car boot sales and other community events, run a tombola and raffles, so if you could be available to help us for some (not all though) of these fundraising events that would be great.
What we can offer you as a volunteer Charity Shop Assistant
· A way to meet new people and make new friends in your local area.
· A place where you will learn excellent new skills to add to your CV, such as customer service, multi-tasking, merchandising, and many more.
· An excellent induction and training programme relevant to your role.
· The opportunity to make a huge difference to the welfare of animals.
· Reimbursement for any reasonable travel expenses you may incur whilst volunteering with us.
· A great support system.
We hope you are interested in volunteering for our branch!
Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees and dependant on the position you may be required to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Volunteer
Part-time hours: 8 - 16 per week
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Flexitime
- Free or subsidised travel
- Free parking
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Flexitime
COVID-19 considerations:
Protecting our volunteers and customers is extremely important to us; therefore, due to Covid-19, we have implemented a range of new measures. These include; using plastic screens, providing hand sanitiser, storing donations for 72 hours before sorting.
Work Location: In person
Reference ID: RSPCA CW 1
