Charity fashion retailing

Keen fashion volunteer Emma Odih, as part of her gap year, been volunteering at Marie Curie Charity shop in Redhill. She says, “it’s just like working in any fashion retail shop but at Marie Curie what we sell goes towards helping nurses to be there when patients, want to die at home”.

She has learned so much about retail, like; which fashion labels have more value, difference between the value of objects such as porcelain and bone china. Her customer services skills have increased and she feels she is better at working in teams, as at Marie Curie you learn to work with people from very different backgrounds and ages. But the best thing has been how much fun it has been working in a charity shop and knowing that you are making such a difference to people’s lives!

Another area it has helped is her career, as she says, “Working here, has been great especially doing my application to university and it looks good on your CV, as employers like to see you have been doing things to help your community as well as gaining new skills”.

The shop manager Iris Horton, has been most impressed with Emma, saying: “I have found Emma to be an enormous help. Her bright, cheerful, personality and fashion knowledge, musical taste and display ability has been a huge asset. During her gap year she has shown tremendous commitment and I could at times not have run the shop without her!”

But Marie Curie doesn’t just sell Fashion clothing, as one of the highlights of the year for the shop has been working on the Fashion show for East Surrey & Sussex Media Group, where the shop came first, with one of its outfit designs!

At Marie Curie volunteers can gain a NVQ in Retail, so helping here can be a great way to kick start your career in this area. So if you fancy developing a new retail career or just helping a worth wise cause, please contact vinvolved to find out more!