This Christmas BHF Cymru is urgently appealing for people to donate the gift of time at one of the charity’s 32 stores across Wales, after the pandemic led to a fall of around 20 percent in volunteers.

Currently around 480 people donate approximately 3,500 hours of volunteering support each week in Wales, where the BHF has 32 shops, selling a range of preloved and new items – from clothes, toys and books to electricals and furniture. The British Heart Foundation funds research into heart and circulatory conditions which affect around 340,000 people across Wales.

The charity is launching its Operation Elf recruitment drive, encouraging the public to give any time they can in the run up to Christmas and support their local BHF shop.

December is one of the busiest times of year for the charity’s stores, but sadly some may be forced to reduce opening hours if they cannot recruit more volunteers ahead of the festive season. This could reduce funds that can be turned into life-saving heart research.

Across Wales volunteers have found that giving their time to the BHF reaps rewards in their lives.

At the charity’s Bridgend Home store, there’s a family of volunteers affectionately referred to as “The Popettes”. Nan, Chris Pope, 67, started at the BHF as a work placement in 2015 and enjoyed it so much she carried on volunteering when the placement finished.

Chris encouraged her granddaughter, Emily, to volunteer whilst at college. Emily, 24, became an employee for the BHF as a paid Sales Assistant in 2017 and progressed her career as Assistant Manager this year.

Emily’s mum Tracey, 43, and brother Jordan, 20, started volunteering soon after Emily, meaning BHF Bridgend is truly a family affair.

Jordan says, “I love volunteering at the BHF Bridgend Home Store as we are one massive family. We all support each other and work together to raise funds for this fantastic cause. I especially love Christmas time as we all dress up in festive outfits and it creates an amazing atmosphere for our customers, which they really appreciate.”

Keith Gasteen, 77, started volunteering at the BHF’s shop in Llandudno this summer after his wife passed away earlier in the year with Covid. She had suffered from vascular dementia in later life and retired teacher Keith wanted give back to the BHF because the charity funds research into the condition, as well as finding something positive to do within his local community.

 

In Cwmbran, Ben Warburton, 33, says volunteering has helped with his mental health and wellbeing. He says, “I started working for the BHF in August 2020. I wasn’t able to do much when I started, but I have now become someone who can do things that I wouldn’t do before because I was scared.”

Ben’s self-confidence has grown through volunteering, and he now enjoys operating the till, doing store administration and answering the phone, something which had previously been a challenge for him.

Ben says, “My biggest fear was answering the shop phone to customers as I didn’t know who was on the other end of the line. I started battling my fears and one day when the phone was ringing, I just went up and answered it.”

 

Dave Broadrick, 68, who lives in Pembrey, says he enjoys assembling flat pack furniture and breathing new life into vintage pieces which he upcycles with fellow volunteer Pete Mclveney, also 68, by adding a coat of paint or varnish and wallpapering the insides.

Their revived projects are sold in the Carmarthen Home store “It’s wonderful to be able to do something to help people, now that I’m retired,” the former London cabbie and window cleaner says. “Pete and I have a great time bringing these things back to their former glory, and improving them a lot of the time, with a lick of paint and a bit of TLC.

“I love volunteering. After I moved to Wales from London nine years ago, I had a little shop of my own in Kidwelly, where I’d refurbish furniture, and that’s where I met Pete. He’d help out, stripping things down and rebuilding them with me. We had a great time. When I gave that up, I wanted to do something positive with my time to make a difference, and my wife spotted that the BHF needed volunteers. I haven’t looked back.”

The Chief Executive of the BHF Dr Charmaine Griffiths joined the team at the charity’s Crwys Road, Cardiff Home Plus store where she met volunteers and staff and found out about Operation Elf. She said “It’s a great way to spend time with our wonderful team of retail colleagues and volunteers and it’s really fun. Just put your elf hat on and get stuck in! Many thanks to our manager Perveen, colleagues and all the volunteers for having me, and for all that you do to help fund life-saving research, it really makes a difference.”

Head of BHF Cymru, Adam Fletcher, said, “Charmaine, thank you so much for elfing out, and I’m really pleased you enjoyed it. To the Welsh public we now say, what are you waiting for? Sign up now – I guarantee you will have a great time!”

“Volunteers are our life-blood. We simply cannot operate our shops and stores without their generous support.  Currently, our volunteering hours are down 20 percent compared to pre-Covid times, so this Christmas we’re asking the wonderful Welsh public to donate to us the gift of time and give whatever hours they can.”

BHF Cymru has plenty of exciting volunteering roles available for those looking to support their local community, improve their wellbeing and widen their social network while supporting a good cause and helping the environment.

 “You can commit just a few hours each week or a few days,” says Adam. “Volunteering at the BHF is a great opportunity to meet new people, boost your confidence, gain retail experience and help us give unwanted items a new lease of life. Every hour given will help us raise funds to support those living with heart and circulatory diseases.”

Volunteers can get involved in tasks such as telephone and logistical administration, operating tills, merchandising on the shop floor and answering customer queries. The charity also offers online roles for those keen on honing their tech skills, by helping to research, photograph and list items for BHF’s online shops.

Behind the scenes volunteers can take on warehouse assistant or specialist roles which can provide transferrable skills that are perfect for future job applications. There are also opportunities to become volunteer stock collection drivers, stock generators and volunteer recruiters who get out in the local area.

Currently, heart and circulatory diseases cause around 1 in 4 deaths in Wales. The BHF funds around £4 million worth of research in Welsh universities aimed at finding cures and treatments, and ultimately saving lives. The charity says that the support of volunteers is more vital than ever as it hopes to inspire the local community to give the gift of time to save and improve lives.

The coronavirus crisis has had a devastating impact on the BHF’s income, which is why the charity is now urging communities to support their nearest shop by taking up flexible volunteering opportunities.

This year, the BHF will save around 71,000 tonnes of goods from going to waste, by selling over half a million pieces of living room furniture and 14,000 tonnes of preloved clothes.

Every pound raised in BHF shops helps the charity to support those living with heart and circulatory diseases. Your gift of time can help the BHF, help them.

Click here for more information on how to get involved or click here to find your local BHF shop.