Published on: Thursday 09 Jan 2020 at 11:19
Help us raise vital funding that pays for our care this 2020!
With ‘Blue Monday’ approaching on 20th January, we are inviting locals to banish the January blues by joining our team of volunteers who help raise vital funding for our cause.
Blue Monday typically falls on the third Monday of January, annually, and is claimed to be the ‘most depressing day of the year’ due to a number of various factors, including debt and weather.
But St Clare is looking to combat the unwelcome onslaught of unhappiness by appealing for locals to lend a hand to their local hospice.
According to UK charity Action for Happiness, giving to others through volunteering has been associated with reduced depression and anxiety, and increased personal wellbeing and happiness.
“January is the perfect time to start a new adventure in the third sector!” says Rob Wallace, Voluntary Services Manager at St Clare Hospice. “Volunteering has numerous proven health benefits, and with the supposed ‘Blue Monday’ approaching, now is a great time to start a volunteering role with your local hospice charity.”
St Clare is looking to recruit a handful of new volunteers to help out in our retail outlets within Epping, Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford, where their Donation Centre resides.
“Our shops bring in more than a quarter of a million pounds in profits every year for St Clare Hospice,” explains Rob, “an absolutely essential source of income that secures the funding of our care and support services for local people living with a life-limiting illness – and their families. Our volunteers are vital in running our shops and our Donation Centre; and we’re in need of more helping hands! Even if you can only spare a couple of hours a week, we’d be most grateful to hear from you.”
St Clare is also looking to build a strong team of volunteers who can help to drop off charity collection tins with their local pubs, clubs and venues – especially throughout Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, Epping and Harlow.
“Our charity collection tins can be seen all throughout our catchment area, from the north patch of Uttlesford all the way down to Chigwell in Epping Forest – and East Hertfordshire too. Surprisingly, all of that loose change adds up; our collection tins actually generate around £20,000 in vital funds for St Clare!” adds Rob.
“Again, local people help to keep these figures topped up. We have volunteers who come and collect tins, then distribute them throughout local venues: across bar tops, reception desks, shop counters – you name it! It’s not a huge commitment to help out with this kind of role, but it makes a huge difference to St Clare in helping to get our name out there and raise money.”
Join the team today
If you’re looking to beat the winter blues, you can find out more about volunteering with St Clare Hospice at stclarehospice.org.uk/volunteer
For more information about helping out in a shop or the Donation Centre, visit: stclarehospice.org.uk/volunteervacancies/shop-volunteer
For more information about helping to distribute collection tins, visit: stclarehospice.org.uk/volunteervacancies/collection-tins