Page 7 - 35yrs anniversary newspaper_Flipbook 2020

Caring, Compassionate, Committed

DID YOU KNOW - As ‘How volunteering got me
well as our 19 charity
shops, we also have
an eBay page where through the lockdown’
we sell a range of
unique pre-loved
items, such as de- Meet Fin Gaunt. hospice as a nurse, and so I know
signer shoes and He’s 22-years-old and what an amazing place it is and I
handbags, collec- recently moved back to the area wanted to do my bit to help. But I
tables and memora- after graduating in Creative Arts honestly had no idea that I would
bilia, vintage items and Media at university. feel like the hospice was helping
and much more. Visit Fin had started the re- me at the same time.
www.ebay.co.uk/usr/ lentless search for a job when he “Even though I had only
stcatherineshospice decided to sign up to become a been volunteering for a couple of
to see the latest deals St Catherine’s volunteer, lending weeks before lockdown, I really
a hand in our Donation Centre missed it. I missed having
based in St Catherine’s Park, to sort something to get out of bed for
through donations for distribution and I missed the people, but most
across our 19 charity shops. He of all I missed the feeling that I had
was just getting into the swing of done something worthwhile with
things when the pandemic struck. my day.
“It wasn’t great. Like eve- “When the restrictions
ryone else, I was a little shocked,” started easing and I heard that St
he recalls. “I hadn’t been a vo- Catherine’s was offering an induc-
lunteer for long, but I’d already tion to help volunteers return back
started to feel the real benefits of safely, I signed up and increased
the routine and structure. I’ve pre- my support to five days.
viously suffered with depression, “It is different than before
and I wanted to do something – but so is everything really, and
good for my mental wellbeing, the one thing that hasn’t changed
but I also knew that I needed so- is the feeling I always have at the
mething to focus on too. end of my shift which is ‘you know
“My mum works for the what, I’ve had a good day today’.”

So many ways to volunteer with St Catherine’s

We simply couldn’t carry out our
vital work without the unwave-
ring support of our 900 amazing
volunteers – and you could be
next to join our fantastic team!
Volunteering is a great
way to meet new people, learn
new skills, and do something
fun and rewarding with your
spare time, from just two hours a
week.
If you would like to learn
more about getting involved in
the future – from lending a hand
with our trading team, at The
Mill café, in our kitchens, helping
out with administration, wor-
king in the gardens, befriending
and much more – please email
volunteering@stcatherines.co.uk
or call 01772 629171.