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More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

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  • VfM4meplse
    VfM4meplse Posts: 34,269
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    Pollycat wrote: »
    I think the day of charity shops being run by elderly ladies is long gone.
    Then you have clearly never been to Mencap in Shoeburyness. The staff are nice enough, but have yet to catch up with the fact that smoking is no longer legal in the workplace. Some bright spark is having a fag whilst they toil in the back.

    If Mencap cannot enforce the basics then it really is a case of <insert ironic but distasteful analogy here>.
    Value-for-money-for-me-puhleeze!

    "No man is worth, crawling on the earth"- adapted from Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio

    Hope is not a strategy :D...A child is for life, not just 18 years....Don't get me started on the NHS, because you won't win...I love chaz-ing!
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,578
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    I think people are under the impression that we go through intensive training to be a volunteer which isn't the case. Yes health and safety, fire and how to lift the heavy bin bags of clothes but customer service no. A lot of the time it is took as read mainly treat other people as you would wish to be treated yourself. Unfortunately in our town volunteers are in short supply or should I say the right ones. We rarely take from the job centre as they don't want to stay. (who wants to go through bin bags of dirty clothing and when I say dirty I mean dirty underpants socks that stink but we have to check!) (yes I do and love the job but I am strange) people come in with the attitude of maybe do an hour and then come back two weeks later and do another hour. In our shop we have volunteers who are autistic or who have mental health problems to help them in society but these do not serve on the till or in the shop. I know that we are not the only ones in the area desperate for volunteers as nearly all have signs in shop windows asking for help. It is hard in this day and age to find the right people but you would think would want to give back but this isn't the case.
    So come all those who adore shopping in charity shops can you spare an hour a week. You might get to spot a bargain before anyone else......
    I'm not under that impression at all.
    Manners cost nothing but lack of them can cost the charity shop much in terms of donations. As in my case and also Hobson's Choice.
    VfM4meplse wrote: »
    Then you have clearly never been to Mencap in Shoeburyness. The staff are nice enough, but have yet to catch up with the fact that smoking is no longer legal in the workplace. Some bright spark is having a fag whilst they toil in the back.

    If Mencap cannot enforce the basics then it really is a case of <insert ironic but distasteful analogy here>.

    No I haven't been. But I'd hazard a guess that it's in the minority.
  • VfM4meplse
    VfM4meplse Posts: 34,269
    Combo Breaker First Post I've been Money Tipped!
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    Pollycat wrote: »
    I'm not under that impression at all.
    Manners cost nothing but lack of them can cost the charity shop much in terms of donations. As in my case and also Hobson's Choice.



    No I haven't been. But I'd hazard a guess that it's in the minority.
    Its always the exception that proves the rule exists in the first place! It was just a real life illustration of what happens when volunteers are left to their own devices, with minimal instruction in statutory and company matters. What might have happened just once quickly becomes the norm as long as individuals use their power. Volunteers need to understand that giving their time does not make them untouchable saints, whilst on duty they represent the charity.

    Having said that, most of the chazzer volunteers I meet are lovely people and have kind words for everyone.
    Value-for-money-for-me-puhleeze!

    "No man is worth, crawling on the earth"- adapted from Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio

    Hope is not a strategy :D...A child is for life, not just 18 years....Don't get me started on the NHS, because you won't win...I love chaz-ing!
  • I volunteer regularly, in a different context, and it's horribly difficult managing people who aren't employees under contract. You can ask nicely, but not order. Much harder to change ingrained behaviour when there's no job security or remuneration at stake. Most of the time we have to take whatever help we can get and grit our teeth.
    They are an EYESORES!!!!
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 34,578
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    VfM4meplse wrote: »
    Its always the exception that proves the rule exists in the first place! It was just a real life illustration of what happens when volunteers are left to their own devices, with minimal instruction in statutory and company matters. What might have happened just once quickly becomes the norm as long as individuals use their power. Volunteers need to understand that giving their time does not make them untouchable saints, whilst on duty they represent the charity.

    Having said that, most of the chazzer volunteers I meet are lovely people and have kind words for everyone.
    You seemed to be talking about elderly woman specifically - as in quoting that snipped part of my post.
    The things you mention could apply to any group of people or mix of people.

    I do agree that almost all charity shop volunteers are great.
  • lily117
    lily117 Posts: 610
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    The person I referred to further up is the manageress. I also agree that most of the local charity shop workers are lovely.
  • I used to volunteer in a national chain CS; no training except on the till. My slot was at the weekend so loads of donations. I always thanked people for donations, but the manager was quite churlish to people if she was down in the shop. There is a mamouth amount of stock behind the scenes which needs sorting,but I still think staff should be polite. A lot of "volunteers" were just there for a really short time as they were doing community service sentences. I was disappointed that no one including paid staff had any interest in the charity and all in all it was a pretty dispiriting experience volunteering there. I donate anything to the local hospice shop where they are always polite ( and they know my gift aid number because I go so often:)
    Got a pair or Ugg brown leather biker boots yesterday for £15: a dream of comfort.
    Also recently a Fatface dress for £4, a teeny tiny mason and cash bowl for 50p, gold River Island ankle boots for 99p, and a white H and M shirt exactly what I'd been looking for for £3
  • DigForVictory
    DigForVictory Posts: 11,903
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    edited 12 October 2018 at 8:38PM
    While it is not easy watching your chick tool up to leave the nest, I have to say we have raised a shrewd young monster when it comes to furnishing.

    I had a days leave just as he did (the coincidence!), and strewth. Not even allowed to watch the guests arrive let alone the vows... First furniture charity shop not as hoped, second a complete peach - a Queen Anne style mahogany 1950s bed & mattress in glorious nick & of the bolt-together old-school sort. (So much easier to haul the bits up to his flat.) He then picked out a handsome mirror, also to be delivered. Change from £100!

    (I picked up four Clarice Cliff plates of credible & certified lurid colours that someone may feel is just The Thing for Someone Else this Christmas - and the difference in opinion & price will help fund my car repairs.)

    Onwards to play hunt the bedside table - and after two laps of the third shop, the lad was still fixed on a nice chest of drawers - so we agreed to collect it.

    Then we toured the charity shops of Burnley. Denby, Langley, Lovatts - I had a Wonderful time. I even wandered past a shop with bedding & spotted a vividly red tartan duvet cover & thought I know a son who would love that, texted him & sure enough had to double back to buy it for him (he Will pay me back...)

    Finally a pass through Wilcos for shoe polish & his first dinner service (charmingly like our Imperial Blue, but in Wilcos Grey) and we then staggered back to the car. To play one last round of "can you fit that chest of drawers into the back of a Mondeo" even with the back seats down. Which my husband lost, & so got a bus much of the way home. (Whilst lad & I unloaded the furniture & all the chinaware, before I zagged back to the bus station to retrieve husband.)
  • Got DD a Next jacket for work from BHF shop obviously never worn £4.99.
  • Please don't write off all the volunteers - all your criticisms make me sad! We're not all bad!

    I've volunteered for a couple of charity shops for over 6 years. Not because I need it on my CV but because I want to help. (I can only manage a couple of hours because that's all I can squeeze in to my week but I do think every little helps).

    Like you, I hate it with a passion when donations aren't gratefully received. I try to make sure that each donor is made to feel that what they have brought in is just what we were hoping for even if there is no room at the back of the shop. In my experience it is the staff (& I hate to say this has been true of where I help too) that are the worst.

    I know volunteers are a mixed bag but please don't slag us all off! 😞
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