The Myton Hospice’s volunteer receives prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award at Hospice UK Retail Conference

 

Sharon Meesum has been a volunteer at The Myton Hospices for over 20 years. Sharon started volunteering at our Kenilworth shop where she became interested in sorting and pricing items of bric-a-brac. Sharon increased her expertise in this field by researching items on the internet and in reference books.

This led to more of our shops seeking her advice on valuing items that had been donated to them. As we expanded our portfolio of shops Sharon started volunteering at our Distribution Centre which is the hub for house clearances and donations. Sharon spent 10 successful years sorting and valuing donations such as jewellery, pictures, trinkets and collectables; generating thousands of pounds of income a year for Myton.

For the past eight years Sharon has also had a stall at our Summer Fete, selling donations that she has sourced and valued to raise even more money for Myton. One year alone her stall raised in excess of £2,000 and overall has generated income of over £10,000! Her stall last year included a number of pieces of furniture that she had spent a considerable amount of time upcycling to create beautiful, bespoke pieces.

 

Sharon has made links with local jewellers and an auction house who have been happy to help us with the valuation process to ensure that we maximise the income from our donations. Sharon has also created strong relationships with a number of our loyal donors who bring their valuable and treasured items to our Kenilworth shop because of Sharon’s empathetic and caring nature. They are also confident that she will value their items ensuring that we get the best price that we can for Myton. In 2016 Sharon spent a considerable amount of time with a bereaved family who had donated their loved one’s entire record collection which raised £3,400.

 

Sharon’s motivation for volunteering was a result of witnessing first-hand the care that is provided at our hospices.

 

Her Father in Law passed away at our Warwick hospice and this inspired her to start volunteering at her local shop. Sharon has been a cornerstone of the Kenilworth shop and has been instrumental in creating bold window displays that entice customers in; customers regularly compliment her creativity.

 

Over the years Sharon has helped generate over £500,000 and we can’t thank her enough for the huge difference she has made, enabling us to continue to help more people and their families when they need us most. We are so proud of Sharon’s achievement and feel this is a fitting accolade!