Over the summer, our Trustees spent time job shadowing teams across the charity, giving them the chance to hear first-hand from employees about what is impacting them and their work and to get a real understanding of the difference Havens Hospices makes to the lives of those we support.
This week is National Trustees Week, the perfect opportunity to introduce you to them and tell you about their experiences!
Here’s Tom Sweeney’s experience …
Growing up in Chelmsford and with relatives in Rochford and Southend-on-Sea, Tom was aware of Havens Hospices’ incredible work. When the opportunity to join the Board of Trustees arose, Tom jumped at the chance to offer his expertise in communications, marketing, and branding – as well as an entrepreneurial spirit.
“I recently had the privilege of joining the Havens Hospices Trading Company Board, which operates our charity shops and other commercial initiatives. So, for me, it was important to understand the specific work that goes on in our shops, the challenges faced by the teams, and how we can improve the experience for our people and customers – ultimately helping us raise more valuable funds for the charity.
“When the opportunity arose to shadow the team in the Chelmsford branch of Re:Loved, I leapt at the chance. I’ve been watching the store closely since it opened, and its recent layout update seems to be helping drive some more footfall and excitement around the brand, so I was so excited to see what it’s like behind the scenes.
“I had a great onboarding experience with the management team at the shop. They took me through the key parts of the process for managing clothing donations and other stock, dealing with our e-commerce product listings, and preparing items for sale. It was interesting to see how we select what goes on our shelves and how much care is taken to ensure our customers have a valuable experience every time they come in.
“I enjoyed researching and listing an interesting item on eBay, finding all of the details of the product, taking attractive photographs of it, and then listing the item on the platform. I was quite hopeful that the product would sell for the big bucks, although my estimate may have been a little wishful!
“From my experience, I learned a ton about the organisation, the valuable role of volunteers within our shops, and the level of complexity involved in running a store. I loved the team’s enthusiasm for different products. I learned a lot about 70s music after rifling through the recently donated records, and I also learned how not to burn myself on the clothes steamer!
“Often, our role as Trustees can be a little far removed from the amazing work our teams do, so connecting with the incredible people in the organisation and understanding the challenges they face will make a huge difference when making decisions.”
Published on 8th November 2024
