Meet Frank, our superb Volunteer Book Scanner in our Kingston Park Warehouse

In just 11 weeks, dedicated volunteer Frank has raised an impressive £1,177 for St Oswald’s Hospice by scanning books onto the e-commerce platform, Shopiago.

We caught up with Frank to talk about his role, how volunteering benefits the Hospice, and his thoughts on Shopiago.

Shopiago is an online selling platform allowing charities to sell second-hand books, CD’s and DVD’s for instant money. The process is simple: shops scan the barcodes of books onto the Shopiago website, receive an instant offer, and just like that – money for the Hospice is made!

How long have you been volunteering at the Kingston Park Warehouse?

I have been volunteering for 23 months. It will be my two year anniversary in October.

How did you come to volunteer for St Oswald’s Hospice?

When I returned from living abroad I wanted to become more involved with my local community. My wife was already a volunteer for St Oswald’s Hospice in their West Denton shop. She encouraged me to sign up as a volunteer. I’m now based at Kingston Park and I love working with my team of fellow volunteers. As well, the shop manager Holly is incredible and looks after us all so well! It’s a wonderful team to be part of.

What does a normal day of volunteering look like for you?

Haha, there are no normal days. Every day is different which is what I enjoy about the role! You never know what items are going to be donated and it is always good to meet new people.

What do you enjoy about the role?

Volunteering gives me a feeling of achievement knowing I’m spending my time helping others. With Shopiago it’s fantastic to see immediate results in comparison to waiting for the books to sell off the shelves. I’ve also really enjoyed learning new skills, such as the computer side of the work.

How do you support the team with Shopiago?

Before my Shopiago role I previously organised the donated books in the Kingston Park shop so this felt like a natural fit. I hate seeing waste. Previously a lot of unsold books had to be recycled but now the books will find a new home and I help to raise money for the Hospice at the same time.

Once I became familiar with Shopiago, I also helped my wife and her team at the West Denton shop with their own account.

Have any books stood out to you as being unusual or interesting?

I was surprised to find educational books and books on economics were valued very highly. Currently sci-fi books are popular on Shopiago, so we’ve had a lot of success with those. One of my most interesting finds was an extremely thin Justice League superhero paperback book. It probably would have only sold for 50p in the shop but it was actually worth £12 on Shopiago, which is a lot of money for a small paperback.

Would you recommend your volunteering role to others? If so, why?

Oh absolutely! Whether you’re a student or retired like me, it’s an excellent thing to be a part of. It is really beneficial to work in a team and that feeling of satisfaction at the end of your shift is very rewarding. Shopiago is straightforward to use so people of any ability will be able to pick it up.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We always need more volunteers. The more people the better as this helps everyone to complete more tasks and, in the end, raise lots more money for the Hospice.

I work three mornings a week and the team is very flexible to my needs. You can donate as much time as you want. Even one morning or afternoon a week is a big help!

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer Book Scanner like Frank, visit our website to learn more or pop into your local shop.