Minster Law supports local hospice in volunteering day
Thirteen Minster Law employees, including Managing Director Michael Warren, swapped a day in the office to volunteer at the Wakefield Hospice’s distribution centre. The group, which also included several of Minster Law’s Executive Board as well as members of the company’s in-house Make a Difference team*, were tasked with sorting through donations, hanging and sizing clothing and preparing fabrics for sale in the hospice shops.
The Wakefield Hospice is committed to providing the highest level of symptom management and care for people who have advanced active, progressive and life threatening illnesses. The hospice relies on the support of volunteers who work alongside staff in the warehouse, at its shops and as part of fundraising groups.
On arrival at the hospice, Amanda Parkinson, Becky Wood, Helen Peacock, Lauren Brown, Clare McCloy, Debbie Cuddy and Charles Layfield assisted with hanging and sizing items ready for sending to the hospice’s Ossett shop, which is currently under refurbishment. Working under the guidance of shop manager Gillian, the group sorted clothes into different colours and seasons in order to make the shopping experience more enjoyable for customers. Without the help of volunteers, this task would take one person over a week to complete.
Jonny Gray and Jonathan Doughty were tasked with sorting through donation bags and picking out items to sell on. Everything that isn’t sold is recycled, and the hospice works with other charities in the area to ensure that items of use are passed on.
Meanwhile, Michael Warren, Mazella Heaton, Helen Chamberlain and Shirley Woolham worked through the rolls of fabric that had been donated by shops in the area. Reams were taken off, measured, folded appropriately and tagged to price.
The Make a Difference team’s Amanda Parkinson, who led the volunteering day said: “I’ve never really appreciated the work that goes on behind the scenes in the warehouse at the Wakefield Hospice. I was astounded by the size of the place and the sheer volume of donations as well as how much work is involved in getting everything ready for sale. The employees take such pride in their roles too – you can see how important the income raised from the sale of donations is to the running of the hospice. We’re extremely proud to have been able to contribute to the cause, if only for a day.”
Volunteer Services Manager at the Wakefield Hospice, Elaine King, said: “Volunteers are vital to the running of the Wakefield Hospice and we are very grateful to the team at Minster Law who gave up some of their precious time to help us at the warehouse. For us, the care actually begins in here – we accept, sort and distribute our donations for sale so that we can raise the funds needed to provide vital care services to families in the local area.”
* Minster Law’s Make a Difference team works with registered charities and groups that help to improve the lives of others within our local communities such as the Wakefield Hospice. The team’s activities include volunteering days, event sponsorship and other fundraising initiatives and Minster Law aims to contribute £130,000 to improve the lives of people within our local communities by the end of 2017.
To find out more about Minster Law’s charity and fundraising initiatives, please visit www.minsterlaw.co.uk/csr.
