April updateApril update
I hope everyone had a restful bank holiday weekend at the start of the month.
Eid Mubarak to everyone who has been celebrating this week. I hope you had a day full of joy with your loved ones!
A few months ago, we shared that we're introducing a new volunteering system in 2024. This exciting new system has been shaped by invaluable feedback from Trading representatives - thank you to everyone who was involved in this process! The system is due to go live in the second half of 2024, so keep a lookout for more information soon.
Throughout March we've been celebrating our incredible Flame of Hope award winners - congratulations to our Trading winners! You can read more below.
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. You can find bowel cancer information, including signs and symptoms on our bowel cancer webpages. You may have also seen health awareness posters up in your shop.
Thank you.
Julie Byard, Director of Trading
Cancer Research UK
How Trading volunteers are shaping our new volunteer system
A few months ago, we let you know that we're introducing an exciting new volunteering system in 2024. This new system will help us to better support you and improve your volunteering experience, by making it easier than ever to update and manage your preferences and information – from how you like us to communicate with you, to what volunteering activities you're most interested in.
The new system has been shaped by invaluable feedback from staff and volunteer representatives from Trading, who have attended over 20 workshops to help guide our thinking and make it as effective as possible. With the design of the new system underway, our Trading representatives are continuing to attend regular meetings, workshops and planning sessions to provide advice and information about how the new system can make the most impact for volunteers in Trading.
What’s coming next?
Trading volunteers are currently scheduled to start using the new system in the second half of 2024.
Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing plenty of information with you about the new system, how it will impact your volunteering experience and any actions you need to take before it launches. Look out for further updates coming soon.
Celebrating our fantastic Flame of Hope winners
During March, we invited the incredible winners of our annual Flame of Hope awards to come together and celebrate in person at regional celebrations across the UK.
Our 135 volunteer winners and their guests joined us at six historic locations, from Allington Castle in Kent to the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, where they enjoyed a special afternoon tea and received their Flame of Hope trophies from senior leaders including Michelle Mitchell, our Chief Executive, and Julie Byard, Director of Trading. Congratulations to our Trading winners and thank you for going above and beyond to support CRUK!
Trading staff and volunteers shared their experiences of this year’s events:
“Always such a lovely opportunity to spend quality time with our amazing volunteers. A highlight of my year.” – Jo Mewett, Head of Retail Operations
“The ceremony was a wonderful experience and in such a historic setting. Many thanks for inviting me to the ceremony and for my award. I really enjoy my volunteering and raising funds with Cancer Research UK, meeting all different people. The award is the icing on the cake, and I would thoroughly recommend volunteering to anyone.” – John MacKintosh, Trading volunteer, who received an Honorary Fellowship at our Flame of Hope event in Edinburgh.
The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw is back!
It’s just a few days until the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw kicks off on Sunday 14 April! Slimming World consultants and members across the UK will be donating the clothes they’ve slimmed out of to our Cancer Research UK shops over the coming weeks, with the campaign ending on Saturday 27 April.
The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw is our biggest stock generation campaign, generating £1.3m worth of stock for our shops last year! Look out for the campaign’s signature purple bags being dropped off and posters up in your shop promoting the campaign.
Don’t forget to let your manager know when you get a donation of purple bags. Ask your manager for more information if you’d like to get involved!
We're here to support you
Cancer Chat
A moderated discussion forum where you can talk to others affected by cancer, share experiences and get support.
The Retail Hub
As one of our shop volunteers you have access to tailored, free and confidential health and wellbeing support.
Volunteer Hub
Find useful information and resources for volunteers and stay up to date with the latest news and updates
If you received a link to this information by text message it is because you volunteer in one of our shops. If you’d like to stop receiving text messages from Cancer Research UK, or make changes to how we communicate with you, please contact preferences@cancer.org.uk.