Members of the Torquay & District Soroptimist International were delighted when they recently visited the Rowcroft Distribution Centre and were given the opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes in the warehouse on Brunel Industrial Estate, Newton Abbot. Rowcroft charity shops rely on the generosity of the local community, and welcome good quality saleable items, by working alongside warehouse staff we saw what happens to these donations.
Wrapped in our winter woollies the day began with a talk from Manager Paul O’Callaghan who explained that the Distribution Centre had given them the ability to centrally sort and send stock to shops that previously might not have received a high level of donations through the door. The Centre gave them a much greater knowledge and awareness of what items were being donated to the shops and which shops are most appropriate to send that stock to; enabling them to maximise value and meet customer demand. The Centre provides more recycling opportunities, and the chance to develop other income streams including selling on Ebay.
Volunteering at the Rowcroft Distribution Centre was the perfect opportunity to support the hospice; to help raise funds for patients and their families, I for one learnt a new skill and will be signing up to ‘make a difference’ again.
Cheryl Rider