A behind the scenes look at Charity Shop Volunteers
For our 24hr project we were set the following brief:
‘There is a hidden side
to the city which you need to explore and find people who engage in everyday
activities. Focus on the specific genres within Press & Editorial
Photography that excite you. If you enjoy sports or fashion – look at what
might be available to you. We want to see a hidden side of the city that we
normally would not know about. So, get searching now, telephone ahead and make
things happen - Be creative in your ideas, be brave and take risks!’
Although at first I had planned to document a very different side
of Plymouth I decided to look into the sudden surge in activity among the world
of Charity shops, whether or not the increase in their popularity or as twitter
calls it ‘trending’ is due to Macklemore’s number one hit ‘Thrift shop’ not
only has the amount of charity shops on our streets changed a lot (increasing
by 30% in the last five years) but the general consensus on them has changed
drastically with them being labelled with terms such as ‘Hip’, ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’.
For this project I
decided to look at the people behind these charity shops, those who give up
their spare time to shovel through our donations (both the good and the bad)
unearthing hidden treasures as well as common brick a brack. I present to you a
small but compact typology of Plymouth Charity Shop workers. I think you’ll
find from their versatility that charity shops are no longer the small, smelly
shops inhabited by the old but a vibrant and booming upcoming industry where
fashion meets affordability.
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St Luke's Hospice,
Cornwall Street Plymouth, Volunteer and self proclaimed part of the fittings
Ivy Foot. 21st January 2014
The bright and bubbly
Ivy Foot greets each and every customer as they walk through the door of St
Luke's Hospice charity shop, described by other members as someone who has been
there forever Ivy started working for St Luke's Hospice (formally Save the
Children) 25 years ago when her husband passed away.
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YMCA, Cornwall Street
Plymouth, Volunteer Robbie Stewart. 21st January 2014
Charity shop enthusiast
and husband Robbie has been working in charity shops for six years overall, he
describes it as a great place to work, with fun bosses and nice customers.
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British Red Cross Heart
Foundation, Cornwall Street Plymouth, Volunteer Kye Jones. 21st January 2014
Although he is not a
keen Charity shop shopper, As with a lot of the current generations youth Kye
has been struggling for work, so took a Job at the British Red Cross Heart
Foundation to gain experience and Knowledge in the retail industry.
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Peoples Dispensary
for Sick Animals, Cornwall Street Plymouth, Manager Wendy Cook. 21st January
2014
Wendy has devoted her
life to charity although she is a paid member of staff, she has twenty five
years of experience in the industry and describes every new donation as a bag
of treasure as you never know the value of what’s inside.
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British Red Cross
Heart Foundation, Cornwall Street Plymouth, Manager Nicky Taylor. 21st January
2014
Charity shop loving
Nicky has been a manager at the British Red Cross Heart Foundation for just
over a year, she has always loved working for charity and favours British Red
Cross Heart Foundation as 100% of the profits go to charity.
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Childrens Hospice
South West, Cornwall Street Plymouth, Volunteer and Mum of two Isobelle
Carriere. 21st January 2014
French national
Isobelle has been working at Childrens Hospice for three months, although she doesn’t
shop in Charity shops herself she describes working there as a great way to meet
new people and fill up her spare time.
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| Previously out of work Kirsty Kearney has been volunteering for Cancer Research for 15 months, through this time she has gained valuable experience in the retail industry. |
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| John Dundridge has been volunteering for the British Red Cross Heart Foundation for 3!/2 month. |
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| Blanche Laurence has been working in Scope for five years after being sent there to volunteer by the dole office. |
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Occasional charity shopper Gloria Quintrell has been volunteering at the Peoples Dispensary For Sick Animals for eight years.
ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ PHOTOGRAPHY |
