Sign up as a Downham Market charity shop volunteer for your 15 seconds of frame

A charity shop in Downham is hoping to put volunteers in the frame in the relaunch of its recruitment drive.

Be a Name in our Frame, which sees people add themselves to novelty frames, aims to get people helping out at one of the 32 East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) shops across the region.

Pat Malkin, who has been a volunteer in Downham for one year, said: “It gets me out the house and I get to meet all sorts of people.

“It also makes me feel good in the knowledge that I’m helping others.”

EACH relies heavily on volunteers to run its shops, which collectively raise over £900,000 towards the vital care and support the good cause provides for children with life-threatening conditions and their families.

For both families accessing care and those who have been bereaved, EACH is a lifeline.

Last year EACH ran Be a Name in our Frame twice, in May and October, with 97 people signing up to help its shops.

Sian Nicholls, EACH shop manager in Downham, said: “We really appreciate the hard work of every single one of our volunteers, but we can always use more help to keep our shop running and I’m sure there are others like Pat.

“We find volunteering is a two-way process. Whilst as a charity we gain from the gift of their time, our volunteers make friends and learn new skills, too.”

The shop in Downham is specifically looking for a friendly and welcoming face to operate the till on Monday mornings, a sorting room assistant also willing to operate the till when necessary on Tuesday mornings and a sorting room assistant also willing to steam clothes on Friday afternoons.

The recruitment drive is currently running until Sunday, July 1.

To sign up in Downham, drop in to the shop or call Sian on 01366 380619.