A SHOP in Llandrindod Wells is urging more people to volunteer, so that it can continue raising vital funds for Samaritans.

The Samaritans charity shop in Llandrindod’s High Street opened 14 years ago and is run completely by volunteers.

Funds raised from the sale of clothes, books and many other items in store go directly to fund the Powys Samaritans listening side of the branch, which provides emotional support to people in distress throughout the UK.

Aprille Saunders has been involved with the running of the shop side of the charity since it opened 14 years ago, and she is now making a plea for more people to come and help run it.

“The benefits for volunteers are different for everyone,” said Aprille.

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“People gain a lot of friendship when they come to the shop and support. Everyone brings own strengths, whether it’s sorting or packing items, or customer service.

“The opportunities we have are so diverse if you volunteer; it’s not just about sitting behind the till and taking the money.

“It’s about engaging with the public and accepting donations. The general public are very generous and I’d like to thank them because they are so kind.

“We’re almost a victim of our own success because we get so many donations.

“The more volunteers we have to help us sort, categorise, steam, press, wash and all the sorts of things needed to be done to run the shop daily, the better.”

Aprille added: “The reason for wanting more volunteers is to help with workload.

“There is a need for more volunteers so it doesn’t all fall on a few. Everyone has their own commitments and we need to be able to cover when people are on holiday, sick or have family commitments.

“When one person’s not there right now we really miss them. So we need to increase our bank of volunteers.”

The Samaritans charity shop is based on Llandrindod's High Street.The Samaritans charity shop is based on Llandrindod's High Street. Powys Samaritans is the youngest Samaritans premises-based branch in the UK, which was set up in the wake of the foot and mouth outbreak in 1994.

Over the last 30 years it has moved its headquarters from a one-bedroom flat to renting a larger premises at No2 High Street, above the shop.

The shop, which brings in the majority of funding, is all staffed by volunteers, much like the listening arm of the branch.

It opened to support the cost of running the new volunteer centre upstairs, and 100 per cent of the funds raised through sales are ploughed right back into the organisation.

“Since opening we’ve gone from strength to strength,” said Aprille.

“We’ve expanded the shop, we’re now very much like a departmental store, selling anything we have donated. That raises the money directly for the listening Samaritans.

“I feel like we’re giving a service to the town by offering such good quality items.

“There’s such a wide variety of jobs, there’s one that would suit most people.

“Shifts are for three hours and even if you’ve only got an hour that’s fine.

“You needn’t commit to that and you don’t have to do the same day every week.”

Any new shop volunteers will have the support of a committee and receive a thorough induction into all the requirements for the shop, as well as a brief induction into the listening side of the charity and what it does.

It must be stressed that the shop and listening side of Samaritans is totally different.

“People, I think, are surprised when they find out all the money we raise gets ploughed back into the call centre,” added Aprille.

“Any donations are gratefully received because that’s the back bone of the organisation. Without those we wouldn’t exist here in Llandrindod/Mid Wales.”

To find out more, contact Powys Samaritans on 01597 822911, email powyssamaritans@gmail.com, visit powyssamaritans.org.uk or check out the Powys Samaritans in Llandrindod Wells or Samaritans Charity Shop Facebook pages.