I have been working at our local Oxfam shop for exactly a year now. Every Wednesday, just after 1pm, I set off walking down the hill to Hunter's Bar. Over the pedestrian crossings and along Ecclesall Road then into the shop.
Out of a possible fifty two Wednesday afternoon shifts I have worked all but one and that was because we were on holiday in Crete. This fact reminds me that I must do more travelling in 2016. One place I would very much like to go is The Isle of Man and I know that Shirley is keen to go there too. We will see. I guess there will also be a significant foreign trip.
At Oxfam, my duties involve working on the till which I am now rather more comfortable with, sorting book donations in the book room upstairs, pricing books and putting them out on the shelves downstairs, cashing up, filling in the appropriate paper work and visiting the NatWest Bank at Hunter's Bar with the day's takings.
Each shift lasts for four hours so I have worked 204 hours for Oxfam in the last twelve months - not much in the grand scheme of things but as they say - every little helps. Oxfam does so much good work around the world. Remember the terrible earthquakes in Nepal for example? For every pound raised by Oxfam, eighty pence goes directly to development work or to emergency relief.
I get sick and tired of doubting Thomases who sagely churn out myths about how charities like Oxfam squander donated money. It just isn't true and it is an insult to regular donors and the thousands of people who work hard to raise funds.
As an aside, one of the things I like about working for Oxfam is the fact that I set off and return home at the same times each week. In this way, I have marked the seasons passing and watched the light changing with each passing week. I can only remember one afternoon when I was rained upon and had to wear my hooded raincoat. England isn't as rainy as people sometimes think even though it is of course always raining in Manchester.
I know that most bloggers are extremely wealthy and very generous people who are always keen to help others, so please consider donating a tiny portion of your enormous wealth to Oxfam. Go to DONATE.
Keep you eye out for a nice jacket for me , tweed prefrably...i now have wardrobe space x
ReplyDeleteThere's a nice plum-coloured velvet smoking jacket in at the moment and a tweed hat like the one worn by Seth Armstrong in "Emmerdale Farm".
DeleteI love Oxfam shops, though I try not to go too much in order to not tempt myself with junque. A plum velvet smoking jacket sounds pretty amazing!
ReplyDeleteOh and also there are some of those yellow chequered trousers that Rupert the Bear always wears. I am sure you would look really cool in them Steve and they'd be so right for a Member of Parliament. Give me your credit card details including security code and I will buy them for you.
DeleteIf you're not more careful about hiding your charitable activities, you'll soon be suggested for an OBE, and Sheila would have to buy a new dress for the ceremony.
ReplyDeleteDaft jokes aside, I really admire everyone who does volunteer work on such a regular schedule, like my Dad who works at a chairty shop nearly every Monday afternoon.
I am a lot more selfish and work only twice a year for an organization that supports single women (widowed or divorced) in Bangladesh. I regularly give money to two animal welfare organizations and have become a supporting member of wikimedia (the organization behind wikipedia) this summer. That's all, and I know I could do more with all the money piling up on my bank account. I'm just too selfish and lazy. Sorry.
How did you know about my mistress Sheila? Please don't tell Shirley about her! With all that money piling up in your bank account Librarian how about giving a sack full of it to The Yorkshire Pudding Christmas Beer Fund? A very worthy charity.
DeleteOops.. how embarrassing! Normally, I'm really good at remembering names. Dear Shirley, I apologize for having called you "Sheila"!
DeleteWe don't have Oxfam in the US but I regularly donate money to our local food bank and animal shelter, and then each year when the holidays roll around I give whatever I can afford to Doctors Without Borders. I also feel compelled to give money to homeless people holding signs by the highway. It's shameful that a country as rich as ours has so many homeless people living on the streets.
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful that you volunteer so much of your time to helping others.
Sounds like you are doing your bit Jennifer but you are one of those many Americans who are not self-centred capitalist pigs!
DeleteI have been a volunteer for years and years. Different places, different jobs. I have learned more about people and society and teenagers and life in general than I would have ever learned from a college class. And before I retired, those lessons learned volunteering helped me in my career enormously!
ReplyDeleteLike Jennifer above you are also not one of those tiresome "me!me!me!" capitalist pig Trump-type Americans... but I knew that already Mama Thyme!
DeleteGood on you Yorkie for doing your bit to help. There are so many good retired people who volunteer their time to work in charity shops. I contribute to four charities and each month money is directly debuted from my account to the charities.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a God, he is already decorating your room Leishy!
DeleteI wish I was one of those "extremely rich bloggers" of whom you refer, Yorkie, but sadly, I'm not.
ReplyDeleteIf a census was taken the majority of the doubting Thomases would be guilty of never donating to worthy causes, nor would they be volunteers; but they'd be the first with their hands out when they believed they were in need - and if compared to those who really do need, they wouldn't come anywhere near it!
I did, for some time, a few years ago help out an afternoon a week at one of the local Op Shops...the shop is run by the RSPCA in aid of animals in need. I no longer do so; but I do sometimes shop at one or the other of our two Op Shops here on the mountain.
I donate when I can to various charities - when funds allow; but I no longer do hands-on assistance.
I'm not a capitalist Aussie pig, either...also I have nothing against capitalists or capitalism.
How about capital cities and catapults Lee? Got anything against them? I guessed already that you are a kind and charitable citizen.
DeleteNope. Capital cities (and cities) are fine - not for me, however.I personally don't want to live in a city..been there, done that.
DeleteThe quiet life here in my little rented cabin with no fence to fence neighbours; a good distance away from the madding crowd - up here in our lush, tree-filled village on the hill (with a population of approx 5,100 people) suits me just fine, Yorkie. When I win the Lotto...I'll buy a secluded little cabin of my own, nestled on the foreshore of a secluded little beach somewhere...sans people...but with golden sand leading down to the waters edge! Note I said "when"! lol
And I don't mind catapults as long as they're not aimed at me. I can think of a few people they should be aimed at, though! ;)
Please don't aim your catapult at me Lee! I'm innocent!
DeleteYou - innocent??? Never!!!! :)
DeleteI have a suspicion that people who rant on about Oxfam squandering money are simply using that as an excuse to be tight-fisted, mean b.....ds.
ReplyDeleteOf course I may be wrong.
Isle of Man visit? Yes. It's wonderful - even in the depths of winter.
Ms Soup
Regarding your suspicion I can only ask: Are you related to Sherlock Holmes?
DeleteSo you have been to The Isle of Man? What is the soup like there?