When Sandra’s family had grown up and she found herself looking for a reason to leave the house more, she walked into her local Oxfam shop.
46 years later, her volunteer journey continues.
The journey to Oxfam
Her Oxfam journey started at the Bearsden over four decades ago, and when a larger shop opened in Milngavie in 2007, she transferred shortly after.
Inspired by Oxfam’s work supporting people facing poverty around the world, Sandra wanted to play her part.
A local shop looking for volunteers sealed the deal.
The community
In her years working in Oxfam’s shops, she has seen many volunteers come and go, but her team at Milngavie are special, and their community recognises it.
The shop is more than just somewhere for people to buy a new outfit, it is a safe space for the community to come for a sense of connection.
“They come into chat, especially the older people,” Sandra says. “And you’re quite happy to do that, you get their life stories.”
Hidden Gems
Sometimes, Sandra finds herself buying hidden gems that she simply can’t resist – “it’s the only shop I know that you’ve got to pay to work in” she laughs, but one will always stick out in Sandra’s mind:
“I actually bought a wedding hat from here for my son’s wedding,” she says.
Inspired?
A lot has changed in the last 46 years, but Sandra’s dedication has stayed the same.
If you’d like to volunteer in your local Oxfam shop in Scotland, we’d love to welcome you. It is rewarding in so many ways. It gives you the chance to meet new people, gain invaluable life skills and give back like Sandra has, over the last 46 years.
“I would recommend volunteering: it gets you out the house, it gets you meeting people and you really get to know your teams,” she says. “We are still struggling a wee bit to get more volunteers so please come and join us!”
