Finders Keepers

Helping out in Sobell House shops, at the Gift Fair and gardening at the hospice

Forty-four members of staff threw on their casual clothes, gloves, raincoats and high-visibility vests to volunteer in Sobell House’s charity shops, at the Christmas Gift Fair and gardening at the Churchill Hospital. Their efforts were intended to help out the hospice in more than a financial way.

Five members of staff volunteered at the Sobell House Christmas Gift Fair at Radley College on 21st and 22nd November 2009. A couple of members of staff helped out taking the entrance money and the rest were car park marshalling. Despite the cold and wet weather, they were impressed with how steady the stream of cars was and had to work hard to co-ordinate everyone – at some points it was a case of “one in, one out”!

Eleven members of staff volunteered to help out with the gardening on-site at Sobell House Hospice over two Thursdays in November. Throughout the two days they cut back trees and hedges, raked up leaves in the windy weather (and took them to the dump in their own trailer!) and generally tidied the garden ahead of the winter months.

Twenty-eight members of staff volunteered across several of Sobell House’s charity shops (in Witney, Bicester, Headington and Botley). They helped in a range of activities including: taking donations, rotating the stock, pricing up new items and steaming the clothes.

Some thoughts from some volunteers:

Lucy Worthington, North Oxford office: “Spending a day in the Sobell House shop was a really fulfilling experience. Being new to Finders Keepers, this was a first. I was impressed with how a company puts so much time and effort in to raising money and awareness for a charity – donating a day’s work for Sobell House was so worthwhile and I was grateful to have the opportunity to do my bit.”

Julie Gardner, Central Oxford office: “I wanted to help Sobell House Hospice as I know, from first hand experience, what a marvellous “concept” the whole idea originally was. I spent some time gardening in the courtyard of the hospice. While there, I had a tour of the hospice and saw exactly what they do in order to make each individual’s stay as comfortable and rewarding as possible. It is just an amazing place with so many people giving so much time and effort to make everything possible – a very humbling experience.”

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To sponsor our Gift Fair, gardening and shop volunteers and give funds to
Sobell House Hospice, please make a donation

Photo diary

Gift Fair, Gardening and Shops