SOCIALISING, developing skills, and a sense of purpose are just some of the benefits of volunteering, say the team at St Rocco’s Hospice.

It costs the hospice £4.5 million every year to provide care which is completely free to those who need it.

This equates to more than £12,000 a day.

As a result, St Rocco’s relies on voluntary donations and fundraising to generate that amount.

It says this is why its supporters and volunteers mean so much – they say the hospice simply couldn’t survive without them.

So understandably, St Rocco’s is always looking for volunteers.

Ahead of Volunteers’ Week, which starts on the first Monday of June every year, we sat down with some of the team from the retail department to find out more about the volunteering opportunities available.

Warrington Guardian: Volunteers at St Rocco's

St Rocco’s aims to raise as much money as it can through retail to support the hospice, enabling it to continue caring for patients and their families.

There are various St Rocco’s shops across Warrington and anything the charity receives, it aims to make money from. For example, if something is not able to be resold, the retail team will aim to recycle it for a fee.

Some volunteers have been at the hospice for more than 35 years, with its oldest volunteer aged 102.

There are various rewards to volunteering, whether that be from a social element or developing your skill set and CV.

Warrington Guardian: Volunteers at St Rocco's

Some volunteers at the hospice have even gone on to land permanent jobs there.

The team also spoke of how they have seen individuals flourish and come out of their shell as a result of volunteering.

There are several different volunteering retail opportunities.

Shop volunteer

The hospice’s shop volunteers support the management team to run a welcoming, clean, and efficient shop.

This role is vital to the smooth running of its shops which are open Monday to Saturday, with some open on Sundays too.

Those interested can volunteer hours that suit them, but ideally at least four hours a week.

eBay volunteer

St Rocco’s has an award-winning eBay shop that generates a substantial income.

Based as its warehouse, also known as the sorting centre, the eBay shop sells high value, unusual, and collectable items to customers all over the world – including Australia.

This role consists of helping to select and research items and there is also opportunities for volunteers to help with photographing and packaging items ready for shipping.

Warrington Guardian: Volunteers at St Rocco's

Warehouse volunteer

The charity’s warehouse is in Penketh and supports the shops by sorting and storing stock to be distributed.

This role is vital for the smooth running of both the warehouse and shops.

For more information about volunteering at St Rocco's, visit: https://www.stroccos.org.uk/volunteer