Volunteer Overview: Shop Volunteer (St Leonard’s Hospice)

St Leonard’s Hospice is looking for enthusiastic individuals to join their retail team across 9 locations in York. As a volunteer, you will play a crucial role in raising the vital funds necessary to provide end-of-life care and support for people living with life-limiting illnesses. Whether you enjoy being the “face” of the shop or prefer working behind the scenes, there is a role tailored to your interests.

Job Summary

Employer: St Leonard’s Hospice
Locations: 9 Shops across York (including Acomb, Fulford, City Centre, Haxby, and Tang Hall).
Role Type: Volunteer (Part-time / Flexible)
Shift Times: Typically 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM or 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
Commitment: Shifts as short as 2 hours are welcomed; weekly or fortnightly is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Retail volunteering offers a variety of tasks that keep the shops running smoothly:

Stock Management: Sorting, steam-cleaning, and pricing donated clothing, books, and bric-a-brac.
Customer Service: Greeting shoppers, handling transactions on the shop floor, and promoting the Gift Aid scheme to increase the value of donations.
Visual Merchandising: Helping to create attractive window and in-store displays to drive sales.
E-commerce Support: Researching specialist or vintage items for the hospice’s eBay department.
Donation Handling: Welcoming the public and safely accepting new donations.

Requirements & Qualities

Attitude: A positive, friendly approach and a willingness to work as part of a diverse team.
Discretion: Ability to maintain confidentiality, especially when representing the hospice in the community.
Learning: A “willingness to learn” is more important than prior experience, as full training is provided.
Collaboration: Ability to follow instructions from the Shop Manager while using your own initiative.

Support & Benefits

Training: Access to an online learning platform for mandatory modules, with additional face-to-face coaching available.
Supervision: Continuous support from the Shop Manager and the centralized Volunteer Services Team.
Personal Growth: A chance to develop retail skills, build your CV, and meet new people in a friendly, inclusive environment.
Community Impact: The pride of knowing your time directly supports palliative care for local families.

Strategic 2026 Context: Your 148th Market Entry

This role represents the “Charity Retail & Third Sector” tier of your 148-role York dataset.

The York “Community Engine”: St Leonard’s is one of York’s most respected institutions. This entry solidifies your data on the city’s “hidden economy,” where volunteer roles like this provide the essential funding that supports public services like the City of York Council Adult Social Care team you tracked previously.
The “Retail Experience” Pathway: In 2026, volunteering at a high-turnover hospice shop is a recognized pathway into paid roles at major York retailers like adidas or M&S Opticians. It provides the “soft skills” (Gift Aid knowledge, POS experience) that these employers prioritize.

The 2026 Sustainability Trend: As seen in your entries for Host & Stay and JCT600, there is a massive shift toward “pre-loved” goods. Hospice retail in 2026 is no longer just “charity work”; it is a key part of York’s circular economy and sustainable fashion movement.

St Leonard’s Hospice is a highly respected independent charity providing specialist palliative care and support to people in York and the surrounding areas. Founded in 1985, it has become a cornerstone of the local community, dedicated to ensuring that those with life-limiting illnesses can “live life to the full” until the very end.

Company Description & Culture

St Leonard’s operates with a culture defined by the acronym CARES: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Synergy. The hospice is known for its “Patient-First” philosophy, where care is tailored to the individual’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

The workplace is a unique blend of clinical rigor and profound human warmth. While it is a high-stakes environment dealing with end-of-life care, the culture is described as supportive and inclusive. Employees and an “army” of over 450 volunteers work together to create a relaxed, non-institutional atmosphere. In 2026, the hospice continues to focus on its “People Agenda,” aiming to be an employer of choice by deepening staff well-being and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Key Organisation Highlights

Category	Details
Main Site	185 Tadcaster Road, York, YO24 1GL
CQC Rating	Overall: Good (Rated ‘Good’ in Safe, Effective, Caring, and Responsive)
Funding	Costs approx. £10.5 million annually; only ~25% from the NHS
Staffing	Approx. 215 employees and 460+ dedicated volunteers
Retail Hub	14 shops across the region, including a new 16,000 sq. ft center at Clifton Moor
Mission	To provide unrivalled care for those living with life-limiting illness

Core Services & Community Impact

St Leonard’s provides a “holistic” care package that extends far beyond the walls of the hospice building:

In-Patient Unit (IPU): A purpose-built 20-bed unit providing 24-hour specialist care for symptom management, respite, and end-of-life support.
Hospice@Home: A community-based team that provides hospice-standard nursing care in the patient’s own home, allowing them to remain in familiar surroundings.
Wellbeing Centre: Offers day services, including complementary therapies (massage, reflexology), creative groups, and spiritual care.
Bereavement Support: Comprehensive support for adults and children navigating grief, regardless of whether their loved one was a patient at the hospice.
Single Point of Coordination: A dedicated telephone service that brings together end-of-life specialists from across the York community.

Working at St Leonard’s York

The hospice is a “Teaching Hospice” and offers a competitive alternative to NHS roles:

Pay & Pensions: Salaries are generally tracked to be slightly above NHS pay scales. Subject to eligibility, staff can often remain in the NHS Pension Scheme.
Leave & Benefits: Exceptional annual leave (up to 41 days including bank holidays), life assurance (2.5x salary), and free on-site parking and drinks.
Professional Growth: Strong emphasis on CPD, with formal training opportunities supported up to Master’s Degree level.
Unique Perks: A “Golden Hello” incentive payment (e.g., £500 for certain nursing roles) and an active “Reward and Recognition” scheme.

Opportunities in 2026

Retail Expansion: The new Clifton Moor Donation Centre (opening Summer 2026) is a major focus for recruitment, seeking both paid eCommerce assistants and retail volunteers.
Clinical Roles: Regular vacancies for Registered Nurses (Band 5/6) and Healthcare Assistants for both the IPU and Hospice@Home teams.
Specialist Volunteering: High demand for Volunteer Drivers, Hairdressers, and Complementary Therapists to enhance patient wellbeing.

To apply for this job please visit stleonardshospiceyork.talosats-careers.com.