Meet the volunteers keeping Ipswich's high street alive
From sorting rails at the British Heart Foundation to cashing up at Oxfam, Ipswich's charity shop volunteers give thousands of hours every year – for free. This Volunteers' Week, we went behind the till to meet the people who make it all possible.
Volunteers' Week is an annual UK campaign that takes place during the first week of June. Now in its 42nd year, it exists to recognise the contribution volunteers make to charities, organisations and communities across the country – and to encourage more people to get involved.
In Ipswich, that contribution is visible on almost every high street. Walk down the town centre on any given day, and you will pass a string of charity shops, each one run by people who turn up, roll up their sleeves, and work a full shift without taking home a penny.
'They mean everything to us'
At the British Heart Foundation on the high street, assistant manager Grace is clear about what volunteers mean to the organisation.
"They mean everything," she says. "We couldn't do the job without them."
The tasks volunteers carry out are as varied as the people doing them. Sorting donations, tagging clothes, staffing the till, keeping the shop floor tidy – it all falls to a team that gives its time freely. Grace is keen to reassure anyone thinking about getting involved that there is no need to feel daunted.
"Everyone fits right in," she says, "because we're one big family."
For volunteer Christina, the feeling is mutual. After retiring, she wanted a reason to get out of the house and stay connected to people. She found it behind the till at the British Heart Foundation.
"You get the same customers coming back all the time," she says, "so it's quite nice."
Christina is one of a remarkably broad volunteer base. She says ages range from young people to those well into their 80s – a reminder that this kind of community contribution has no age limit.
Six years and counting
A few streets away at Oxfam, Amy has been volunteering for six years. She started out looking for work experience and a way back into employment. What she found was considerably more.
"It gives you a purpose in life when you've not got anything to do," she says. "You meet new people."
Over six years, Amy's role has grown substantially. She now handles stock management, locking up and cashing up – responsibilities that go well beyond what many might expect from an unpaid position.
"It's big duties," she acknowledges, "and it's unpaid."
The skills she has built up are just as impressive. "People skills, retail skills, even admin skills," she says. "A lot of experience, really." She has also taken on the responsibility of training new volunteers, and her advice to anyone starting out is straightforward: "Don't be afraid to ask for help – and enjoy it."
Amy is clear about what volunteering has given her that she could not have found elsewhere. "I've gotten loads of new experience I wouldn't have got anywhere else."
The view from the other side of the till
Not everyone in Ipswich's charity shops is there to volunteer. Some are loyal, enthusiastic customers – and they have their own perspective on why these shops matter.
Trudy and Gavin are regulars. The husband and wife have built up what Trudy describes as genuine connections with the volunteers they see week in, week out – the kind that lead to running jokes, familiar faces, and the quiet comfort of being known.
"It becomes a social dynamic," says Trudy. "You get to know people."
Both are firm believers in the value of volunteering, even if they have not yet taken the plunge themselves. Trudy thinks the benefits run in both directions.
"It's something that's equally important to the volunteers themselves," she says. "It makes them feel useful, and they know that they're giving back to society."
Gavin is particularly enthusiastic about the impact volunteering can have on younger people. "Rather than sitting at home doing nothing, or playing video games all day, they're out, learning skills, making a difference."
Beyond the shop floor
The scale of volunteering in Ipswich and the surrounding area extends well beyond the high street.
East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) has been among the organisations marking Volunteers' Week by paying tribute to those who give their time across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. Volunteers support the charity in its shops, at its retail distribution centre in Thetford, at fundraising events, in families' homes and at its hospices.
"The contribution they make is truly invaluable, and we wouldn't be able to do what we do without them," said EACH chief executive Kevin Clements. "It's impossible to overstate the mammoth role they play within our organisation, and we're deeply thankful for everything they do."
Suffolk Constabulary has also highlighted the role its volunteers play in keeping local communities safe. Last year, almost 352 volunteers contributed 43,000 hours of support across roles, including Special Constables, Police Cadets and Police Staff Volunteers.
"Our volunteers bring energy, insight, and compassion to everything they do," said Inspector Justin Siggins, the force's citizens in policing lead, "and we are incredibly grateful for all they do to keep Suffolk safe."
Ipswich leads the way
Volunteering in Ipswich extends beyond charity shops and community organisations. The town holds a distinction few others can claim – it is the UK's first Town of Social Action, and at the heart of that is the #iwill Movement, a national campaign championing youth social action.
Suzanne Chung, Ipswich's Town of Social Action Engagement Lead, works with young ambassadors aged between 12 and 21, meeting them where they are and helping them build confidence, co-produce youth-led events, and access opportunities both locally and nationally. The results, she says, speak for themselves.
Oliver Rouane-Williams
"We've seen young people who are typically very shy stand in front of a group of 60 students and publicly speak," she says. One ambassador has gone on to facilitate a hackathon with nearly 200 adult community and cultural leaders, and has since started their own mental health charity. Another has launched a consultancy business.
For Suzanne, the key is ensuring that young people are genuinely at the centre of the work – not treated as an afterthought.
"We're hearing the term 'youth-led' a lot more now," she says, "but we have to ensure that this is real instead of sticking a buzz word on it."
The bottom line
Ipswich's volunteers do not do it for the money – they do it for the community, for the connections, for the purpose it gives them, and sometimes simply because they walked in one day and never quite left.
As Amy puts it, six years and counting: "It gives you a purpose in life." If you have ever thought about volunteering, this week is as good a time as any to find your local cause and introduce yourself.
Don't forget: If you enjoy our content, please add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google so you can easily find more of the content you value.
This article cost us ~£120 to produce
It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our two community impact partners: local contractor Barnes Construction, and flat roof waterproofing and design firm Axter. Please support us by supporting them.
Below the line