“From a very young age, I have been a fan of the English language and anything related to Britain and Ireland. When travelling to various destinations on the British Isles, I have always been amazed by the big variety of Charity organizations and foundations throughout the countries, and I have always visited their shops thinking: “I’d really love to work in here one day.”
So when I was able to take a sabbatical (a year off work), I planned to do just that. I wanted to live in Belfast for a few months and work in a charity shop. I wrote emails to numerous organisations, but it was someone from the BHF who amazed me by replying in a very personal way and offering me her help with the online application form and all the proceedings, so that everything could be settled smoothly and quickly. And that’s how the adventure began.
Everybody at the shop made me feel very welcome from the start. My job was to help out with anything that needed to be done, so I got the opportunity to do lots of different things, and it never got boring for one minute. As I really love books, my favourite task was to keep an eye on the entertainment section: to sort and price the books, DVDs and CDs that came in and arrange them on the shelves in the shop. I even managed to overcome my initial reluctance to work at the till.
What I enjoyed the most was to encounter so many people of all ages working and volunteering at that shop. I learned that a charity is not only about raising funds for a particular cause, but also about giving people with mental/ physical health issues or disabilities a purpose and a place where their contributions to the tasks at hand are valued. Everybody just worked together, no matter what kind of background they had or what “baggage” they carried. And that was a lovely experience. I was deeply impressed with the social abilities the shop manager showed. Managing a charity shop entails so much more than retail and figures. It means being able to appreciate people, find out about what they can give, be kind. I dare say, he does an absolutely fantastic job!
I was sad when I had to leave after three months, but I will keep the memory of this wonderful experience in my heart and mind forever. Thanks, everybody at BHF Belfast!