SUNRAYSIA’S thrift shops are calling for more volunteers.
RSPCA Victoria has 20 active volunteers at its Mildura store, but said it was in need of 12 new ones to help it bounce back from the pandemic, when volunteer numbers rapidly declined.
“We rely on op shops like our Mildura store to fund our work caring for and protecting animals, and we can’t do this without the help of volunteers,” RSPCA Victoria volunteer program manager Nadine Hutchins said.
“We’re looking for people with a few hours to spare each week or fortnight who love their community and are passionate about helping animals in need.”
Salvation Army Sunraysia thrift shop coordinator Glenn Milne said the charity’s three local stores could use more volunteers to fill its ranks.
“We are coping and our volunteers are really really good, but we have got a couple that are leaving,” he said.
“They are getting older and they thought it was time to maybe enjoy their retirement.”
St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria executive general manager of commercial sales Jeff Antcliff said Vinnies Mildura was always looking for more volunteers, but had recovered well post-COVID.
“At Vinnies, we have even more volunteers now than we did prior to COVID starting,” he said.
“So we see a lot more people coming in and giving us a bit of time and it might only be three hours but that makes a lot of difference.”
Interested people can visit the stores to enquire.
Click here to read about how the rising cost of living has impacted Sunraysia’s thrift stores