Why all Rhodes lead to charity

The Rhodes family, has put a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Charity begins at home’...

Mum, Cheryl, dad Andy and their son Ashley and daughter Lucy all give up their time to work for free for a Rotherham Hospice charity shop.

“As a family we have gone through so much. Working at the shop has made such a difference to all our lives,” says Andy, who was the first to sign up a year ago.

He called into the Hospice Furniture and General Store on Maltby High Street as a customer, feeling dejected after losing his job of 25 years, and was amazed to finding himself leaving as a volunteer.

Andy, 44, had coped with epilepsy all his life, but a tonic-clonic seizure in 2014 damaged his spine. He was left so incapacitated he had to leave the supermarket job he loved and still suffers pain and mobility problems.

“Losing my job knocked me for six. I wanted to get back into some sort of work but I’d lost all my confidence and didn’t think I would ever feel useful again,” he said.

“Shop manager Sam Cruise eased me gently into retail duties and I loved it. I loved interacting with colleagues and customers again.”

The hospice paid for Andy to train as a PAT tester and he now checks electrical appliances sold at the shop up to four hours a week. But his interest in social media has enabled him to help the hospice by setting up a Facebook page for the Maltby shop (www.facebook.com/ThefurnitureshopRH/). And Andy is now assisting the hospice’s head of fundraising, Aaron Firth, on a wider social media strategy.

Andy then persuaded daughter Lucy, 22, who was nervous about going back to work after having a baby, to become a hospice volunteer.

“She now works in the hospice shop and on the collection and delivery vans 22 hours a week and has got her confidence back.”

Not content with that, he then persuaded 18-year-old son Ashley to get involved. The RCAT student, who hopes to become a police officer, works on the shop floor four hours a week. Then Andy’s wife Cheryl, 42, decided to join them. She works for eight hours – bringing the Maltby family’s tally to more than the average paid working week.

“I think we’re taking over,” said Andy. “Our youngest boy Taylor is 13 and just a bit too young to volunteer but who knows what the future may bring.”

Rotherham Hospice relies on an army of volunteers.

They have 400 volunteers helping in a diverse range of roles but they need more people to work in administration, catering, fundraising, at the Day Hospice and In-Patient Unit, driving duties and help in their shops.

If you could help on a regular or ad hoc basis, contact Jean Clarke on 01709 308913/[email protected]