The Big Help Out: Cleckheaton’s Age UK opening its doors for volunteering taster sessions

Age UK, on Cross Crown Street in the town, will be joining forces with some of the country's best-known charities as part of The Big Help Out, which aims to provide opportunities and encourage people to try out volunteering and make a difference in their communities.

Offering people the chance to try their hand at being a shop volunteer, the Age UK shop in Cleckheaton will be open on Monday, May 8 May to offer taster sessions to local people interested in helping out.

Sandra, shop manager at Age UK in Cleckheaton, said: “Volunteers play an important role at our shop and are crucial to Age UK. As well as helping with the essential operations and day-to-day running of the shop, they also offer a friendly welcome and chat to many of the local community who stop in.

“Every hour they contribute makes a huge difference and helps Age UK raise much-need funds for its work supporting older people, making their work invaluable.”

The two-hour long sessions will offer a flavour of what to expect, covering different activities and giving an overview of the shop.

Sandra added: “Volunteers in the Age UK Cleckheaton shop can choose to do a variety of tasks such as window dressing, creating displays, managing stock donations and serving customers.

“They will also gain valuable skills and experience, while volunteering alongside a team of passionate and friendly people.”

Age UK shop volunteers help raise vital funds for the charity’s work, including its free, national Advice Line and Telephone Friendship Service.

As well as helping the Charity support older people and making a difference to the local community, shop volunteers can also make new friends, discover new interests and develop new skills.

Owen Pearson, a volunteer at the Age UK Cleckheaton shop, said: “Volunteering at the Age UK shop in Cleckheaton is brilliant. The people who work here are all so inviting. The customers are lovely.

“Working here really inspires a great feeling. Just knowing the few short hours we spend here really is making such a huge difference. Helping those in need, giving something to those who raised our parents or our parents’ parent’s.

“No two days are ever the same, some of the donations that come through the shop are incredible pieces of history. Each day brings a variety of different tasks, new people to meet and friends to make.”

To find out more about signing up for a volunteering taster session at the Age UK Cleckheaton shop visit www.thebighelpout.org.uk or download The Big Help Out app.