Volunteering in charity shops is good for your wellbeing

Charity shops have a positive impact on people’s wellbeing according to ‘The Value of Giving Back' - The Social Return of Charity Shops’ - a new report commissioned by the Charity Retail Association.  Paul Newell, Head of Retail at Saint Francis Hospice, shares why this is such great news and confirms what the charity has always known.  

Saint Francis Hospice has shops across its catchment areas of Havering, Brentwood, Barking and Dagenham, and Redbridge and thanks to the high-quality donations we receive, we generate vital income to help fund our compassionate palliative and end-of-life care services.  

This report is the first of its kind and it is so exciting and heartwarming and the insights it shares correspond with the feedback we get from our volunteers, supporters, and shoppers.  

Charity shops improve people's lives

The value of charity shops goes much further than income generation - charity shops really do improve people’s lives. They are an enormous benefit to the community -  to the people who volunteer in the shops and the people who support the shops by donating and buying preloved goods.  

The report found that charity shops in the UK generated £75.3 billion of social value in 2022. Almost half of this social value was linked to giving back to others or sustainability. The sense of community and the friendliness and compassion people receive from charity shops also ranked high at 29%. And on top of funds raised for charities, every pound spent on operating charity shops generates an additional £7.35 in social value. 

This is great news for our charity shops because while we may be competing with retail shops on the high street, we have a special place in people’s hearts, and their motivations for volunteering, donating or shopping are very important to them.  

Volunteering in charity shops

We couldn’t run our shops without our dedicated volunteer workforce, and we hope this report will inspire more people who have a few hours to spare and are looking for a new opportunity to give us the gift of their time. It’s such a great way to meet new people, make friends, and gain new skills and experience, all while making a difference to the lives of people and families who need hospice care.