Looking after your wellbeing and a thank you from our CEOLooking after your wellbeing and a thank you from our CEO
Welcome to your January edition of Volunteer News.
We'd love to hear your thoughts about the content. You can contact us by emailing volunteering@cancer.org.uk
Happy new year!
Despite the disruption to seasonal plans across the UK, I hope that all of you have been able to enjoy some time with friends or other loved ones.
It was a difficult decision to postpone our own festive get-togethers for shop teams, particularly since there was so much to celebrate this year. So let’s take a moment to look back at some of those brilliant things we’ve achieved in Trading this year. We…
* Got back to business - again - proving our determination and dedication;
* Raised a stunning £1.1m for Stand Up to Cancer;
* Helped the UK to recycle thousands of tonnes of clothing, selling pre-loved items to 10 million customers;
* Opened three new superstores, including our first coffee shop;
* Raised £300,000 for children and young people; and
* Released our first “Instagram TV” series - follow us on @CRUKshops if you missed it!
I hope you're all extremely proud of the fundraising contribution we give to beat cancer. I can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve, safely, together this year.
Look after yourself and each other,
Julie
Julie Byard, Director of Trading Cancer Research UK
A thank you message from Michelle Mitchell
Through the many closures and re-openings of the shops last year, you remained so dedicated and supportive of our mission. A huge thank you for the support you've given us during these uncertain times.
Here's a special thank you message from our Chief Executive Officer, Michelle Mitchell.
Stop, breathe and take 20 minutes for your wellbeing
With a lot of uncertainty in the world around us, our wellbeing can suffer. So we’re delighted to share a new mini-series of short wellbeing films that we’ve produced to help.
Join learning and development specialist, Danny, as he shares his practical tips for looking after our own wellbeing and supporting the people around us.
Useful wellbeing resources
You can find all the websites mentioned in the wellbeing videos on the Volunteer Hub or in the description on the relevant video.
You can also read our commitment to you as a volunteer in the Volunteer Fair Treatment Policy.
Tell us what you thought
Did you enjoy the wellbeing videos? Would you enjoy videos similar to these? Was there anything missing?
Tell us what you thought of the wellbeing videos by answering these quick questions.
From the shop floor...
Our Lerwick Shop was awarded the ‘Be Sharp’ team award in our annual staff awards in December for their tremendous initiative and community relationships.
During the deepest days of the pandemic, our Shetland store was the only one of our 600 shops to be open. The team rallied huge support from the community, with volunteers, donations and customers flooding in.
With no travel to the mainland, the team had no way of transporting recycling off the island, so tapped into their local network and 'borrowed' sheds and garages for storage until the transport started back up.
During those dark times and beyond, the Lerwick team really embodied the Cancer Research UK spirit: we will never give up in our determination to beat cancer. Congratulations!
How we’re handling your personal data
We’re required by law to tell you how we’re collecting, storing, or using your data, as well as the reason we’re handling your information. Our Privacy Policy is one of the ways we do this. We’ve also created a Volunteer Monitoring Notice to update our volunteers about when you may be monitored and why. One example might be our shops; some have CCTV in communal spaces for security.
We want to make sure you know how your data is being collected, why this is, and how you can exercise your data protection rights. If you have any questions or would like to talk about this, please email our Supporter Services team or our Data Protection Officer.
What's coming up...
An extra special World Cancer Day
This year, Cancer Research UK’s 20th anniversary falls on World Cancer Day - Friday 4 February - so we have an even bigger cause for celebration.
The anniversary reflects the day that The Cancer Research Campaign and Imperial Cancer Research Fund merged to form Cancer Research UK as we know it today.
There will be lots of ways to get involved, including cash collections, promoting Unity Bands and fundraising. It’s a real opportunity to celebrate the contribution our incredible shop volunteers, staff and drivers have made in our mission to beat cancer.
Speak to your Shop Manager to find out more.
Creating a charity where everyone feels they belong
It's our goal to be an organisation where all staff and supporters feel that they belong and have something to offer, no matter what their background is.
In February, we'll be sending a short anonymous survey to ask you a few questions about how included you feel as a Cancer Research UK volunteer. If you're happy to answer this, you'll be helping to make us a more inclusive organisation for everyone.
Cancer Chat
A moderated discussion forum. Talk to others affected by cancer, share experiences and get support.
Talk to our nurses
If you've got questions about cancer, it's easy to call our nurses on freephone Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Volunteering news
Read the latest news, research breakthroughs and volunteering news on the Volunteer Hub.