Eighteen-year-old Ali started in the summer of 2024, whilst fifteen-year-old Noah has been volunteering since February 2024 as part of his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme.
Ali explains
I heard about the Willow shop in Hemel Hempstead through a friend. I wanted to find a voluntary job because I needed to make up my college hours, and now I volunteer two days a week. An average day in the shop involves interacting with customers and steaming the clothes before they go on display. I especially enjoy doing the bin runs as it gives Noah and I a chance to get to know each other. My advice to anyone thinking about volunteering would be to give it a go. It’s fun, you will interact with people you wouldn’t usually meet and make new friends.
Noah says
My mum suggested that I apply to the Willow shop for my DofE volunteering commitment, and so I work for two hours on a Saturday each week. I enjoy spending time preparing the clothes for sale, tagging, and hanging them tidily, and making sure the shop is presentable to give our customers a great shopping experience. Ali and I have become friends, and we enjoy sweeping the shop and doing the bins together, which we often make into a competition to see who can do the tasks fastest. One of my favourite things about volunteering at Willow is the people, knowing that I have done good in the world.
My advice to anyone thinking about volunteering would be to go ahead, even if it is just for a couple of hours. You will be giving back to the community as well as fundraising for a worthy cause.