Self Help Africa Northern Ireland Celebrates Volunteers’ Week

Rosana Trainor, Manager of the Self Help Africa Northern Ireland bookshop on Belfast’s Botanic Avenue, says her volunteers are invaluable. One of her longest serving volunteers has been volunteering at the bookshop for almost 30 years and another is 90 years old!

Rosana said: “I have always been a reader and I used to volunteer in this shop. I have a background in the textile industry, having worked for both a clothing and a fabric manufacturer. I was made redundant in 2008 and the opportunity to job- share came along. I got to know the volunteers and the book trade and I don’t believe the bookshop could operate with our wonderful volunteers.

Rosana works part time at the bookshop so the volunteer booksellers are vital to enable the shop to open six days a week. She said: “It’s so important to celebrate our inspirational volunteers who faithfully bring themselves, their knowledge, commitment, personality and fun to the bookshop.

“I think that if someone is considering becoming a volunteer for a charity that they should realise that they are making a vital contribution as well as starting new friendships, interests and develop new skills.”

Brid Coady Weekes has been volunteering in the Self Help Africa Northern Ireland book shop on Botanic Avenue for more than 20 years. Married for 50 years to Tony, the south Belfast grandmother retired from what she describes as a ‘slightly quirky post’ in Marks and Spencer at Forestside 18 years ago. 

Brid says she enjoys all aspects of volunteering. “Apart from the feel-good factor from making a small contribution to people with so little, I enjoy comradeship especially. And meeting our many individual customers. And of course the books. I love to chat with the customers about the books they choose. There are many regulars who enjoy this approach but I do it without thinking if it’s a book or author I particularly like. My current co-volunteer tells them that they must have a “Review” of their purchases before I ring in the prices. I just hope my enthusiasm carries over!

“I definitely recommend volunteering to anybody with spare time. If you are not especially outgoing, there are jobs behind the scenes in many places. For example, Self Help Africa Northern Ireland has several clothing and bric-a-brac stores where sorting, pricing and merchandising the donations is equally as important as meeting customers.”

To anybody who is hesitating about volunteering Brid would say: “Find a project / cause / activity that appeals to you and go along. Volunteers are needed in so many cases that you will almost certainly be welcomed with open arms.”

Self Help Africa raises hundreds of thousands of pounds each year through its shops network to support its efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty.

If you would like to donate any unwanted items to the charity, you will find Self Help Africa Northern Ireland shops in Ballynahinch, Bangor, Belfast, Dunmurry, Holywood and Lisburn.

The organisation is one of Ireland’s leading overseas aid organisations. To find out more about its work visit: www.selfhelpafrica.org