It took just a little family inspiration to persuade Reece Burns that he should become a St Luke’s volunteer.
“My nan Gloria has been a volunteer for about 16-and-a-half years,” says 22-year-old Reece.
“When I was younger I did some fundraising with my nan, things like bucket collections at Sheffield Wednesday and at Meadowhall so I suppose you could say volunteering is in the family.”
And it was when Gloria became a volunteer at our city centre shop on The Moor that she suggested Reece might enjoy following her lead.
Now he volunteers for 14 hours per week, giving his time at the shop every Thursday and Friday – with the occasional Saturday thrown in too - the days he’s not working at his regular job with Diamond Rail Services in Ecclesfield.
“I enjoy meeting new customers all the time and being able to help them out if they need me,” Reece says.
“It’s good being with the different volunteers and with the retail management team too and I am learning so many new skills, things I would never have learnt if I wasn’t here.
“Some days I’ll be on the tills or other days I’ll be helping to bring stock down to the shop floor, learning how to priorities things.
“I’ve also taught myself basic British Sign Language so I can interpret for any customers who are having problems communicating.
Reece also lives with autism but has been determined not to let the condition stand in his way.
“I struggled a bit in school academically but now I am trying to get as many qualifications as I can,” he says.
“It’s always a concern coming into a working environment and wondering if employers fully understand it but both my employers and the St Luke’s team are great.”
Reece always wear’s an autism awareness lanyard when he’s on our shop floor and finds that customers with similar issues will now actively seek his support.
“I am very proud of the things I am doing at St Luke’s and when a customer thanks me there’s a real sense of satisfaction because it means I’ve done things right,” he says.
“Everybody here has accepted me and what they do for me is great – and I know they do it for all their volunteers.
“I’ve made so many friends here and it’s a great feeling that they understand me, I can have a proper laugh with them all and I feel like I am part of the team.”
That’s why he is now encouraging other people to follow his lead and become a St Luke’s volunteer.
“You just need to come and do it – every day is a new day and every day you learn something new, skills that you can take forward with you wherever you go,” he says.
“There’s so much that St Luke’s has done for me and I love the time I spend here every week – it’s absolutely fantastic.”
To find out more about St Luke’s Hospice volunteer opportunities click here