Help to run our cooperative
The Shop and Café are managed by Michele and Laura and staffed entirely by our team of volunteers
Who can volunteer?
The short answer is anyone. The shop and café are for the whole community and the wider the range of volunteers, the better.
There are no special skills or experience required. Older children and young people can volunteer and there is no maximum age.
If you have a disability we will do our best to adapt the work to accommodate your needs.
The most important role is to be friendly and helpful to visitors and customers and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
How can you help us?
If you are interested in volunteering, or would like to find out about the many and varied roles we have to offer, please email Sarah Beebee at volunteer@ilmingtonshop.co.uk
Volunteer Shifts in the Shop
Our volunteers work in pairs in shifts of two or three hours.
Monday to Saturday:
Early Bird 7 - 9am
Morning 9 - 12pm
Early Afternoon 12 - 3pm
Late Afternoon 3 - 6pm (Saturday 3 - 5pm)
Sunday and Bank Holidays:
Early Bird 8 - 10am
Morning 10 - 1pm
Day to day tasks include:
- Working on the till
- Unpacking and receiving deliveries
- Stacking shelves
- Labelling products and checking stock
- Cleaning
- Preparing newspaper deliveries and orders
- Working in the café
Calling all cake-makers!
Our Community Café is run by volunteers and has an unusual USP: most of the cakes are made by volunteers, too! We try to provide a wide range of cakes and tray bakes throughout the week, including some with alternative ingredients, to suit all tastes. We always welcome new volunteer cake bakers who would like to join our rota. Ingredients are provided free of charge from the shop. If you would like to be part of the team, please email Ilmington’s very own Cake Tsar, Sheila Lowe, on sheila.smlowe@gmail.com
Once I was used to the till I started to enjoy myself!
It’s a lovely place to work, so clean and bright and friendly
It’s great to catch up with people you haven’t seen for a while
That’s what makes it worthwhile, seeing the customers having conversations while they shop
It’s just a fantastic asset for the village and I love being part of it
People are amazed when they walk in and see what we stock
The village has come alive again, there’s a real sense of togetherness
The children come in after school and the older ones are running errands all the time
