BHF Furniture & Electrical Stores have been a hit on the high street since the first one opened its doors in Sittingbourne in November 2001.

Our F&E Stores are a bit like Aladdin's cave - full of surprises, and the ideal place to find that wardrobe you've been meaning to buy for the spare room, or a couple of chairs for unexpected guests. We're always looking for good quality stock, and your donations are a real contribution to the fight against heart disease.

With six new F&E Stores in 2007/8, making a current total of 44, and 25 more due to open in 2008/9, we're in urgent need of more volunteers. Here's how Steve Batten got involved in helping us - and how volunteering helped him.

After a heart transplant, Steve had to give up his job as a dog trainer. One day he saw a notice in his local F&E Store asking for volunteers. Signing up brought a real lift to his life: "It gave me the motivation to get going again. They're lovely people and there's always a great atmosphere. It's given me a great boost and I feel I'm giving something back to the BHF."

To find out more about volunteering, please visit bhf.org.uk/volunteering