Charity call for more shop volunteers across region

When Katy Barr left her busy and demanding role as a sister on the Cardiothoracic Unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, she soon found that she needed something to fill the void.

With all three of her daughters having left home to pursue careers as doctors and her husband running a busy dental practice, she soon found volunteering at her local St Oswald’s charity shop in Morpeth was a way for her to expend her time and energy.

Katy said: “Volunteering at St Oswald’s is the highlight of my week. It has allowed me to revisit skills I haven’t practised since school, such as art and design, as well as bringing out talents I never realised I had.

“I work with the loveliest women, whose company I really enjoy. It is a joy to spend time working alongside them.

“Although there is hard work involved, there is also a lot of love and laughter too.

“I have been at the St Oswald’s shop for more than three years now and I can’t recommend volunteering enough.

“I’ve witnessed the incredible facilities and care that St Oswald’s provides.

“My view is that any of us may need to depend on the services of a hospice at any point in our lives and the work that we do as volunteers helps to advance this vital cause.”

Charlotte Charlton, retail area manager, said: “Katy has proven to be a fantastic volunteer within our Morpeth shop and she is a huge asset to the team.

“Her creative window displays are brilliant and they’re always widely praised by our customers.

“Katy is proof that at St Oswald’s we truly have volunteering roles to suit everyone.”

For more information about the roles available, the benefits to volunteering and how you can apply, go to www.stoswaldsuk.org/volunteering