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At GROAD (Get Rid of and Donate), every story is a reflection of community, kindness, and hope. Our volunteers, partners, and community shop have touched countless lives, offering essentials, support, and dignity. Here’s what some of our beneficiaries have to say:
Real Voices from Our Community
My name is Touba Gholami and I am proud to volunteer at the community centre, where I support a range of activities including sorting donations, organising food supplies, and assisting people in need.
Volunteering has been a truly rewarding experience for me. It gives me a sense of purpose, happiness, and fulfilment knowing that I am making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Through this opportunity, I am also developing new skills and improving my English, which is helping me grow both personally and professionally.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a supportive and inspiring team, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the community.
Touba Gholami
GROAD Volunteer
I started volunteering at St Faith’s Community Centre, where I initially struggled with communication as I wasn’t very confident speaking to others. Over time, I began engaging with a wide range of members, which helped me build confidence and enjoy connecting with people.
As I grew in the role, I also developed the ability to support and guide new volunteers, showing them how procedures work and helping them settle in.
I now volunteer as a shop assistant, where I’ve continued to develop my skills in customer service, multitasking, and decision-making. I’m proud of how much I’ve grown as a person. Meeting different customers each day and getting to know them is truly rewarding, and it brings me happiness to serve the community and support people in living better lives.
Rachael O’Connor
GROAD Volunteer
My name is Lilian, and I joined Get Rid of and Donate CIC (GROAD) in 2024. At the time, I was out of work and searching for an opportunity to rebuild my confidence and contribute meaningfully. An email from my daughter’s school about volunteering caught my attention, and after speaking with Andrea, the Founder of GROAD, I was welcomed into the team at the community shop in LJ Works.
I began by helping with the food table, ensuring it was refilled every hour so families always had access to fresh supplies. Although it seemed like a small role, I quickly saw how vital it was. Every item placed on that table represented relief and support for a family in need. From there, I learned how the shop worked, helping with donations, sorting items, and supporting members in finding essentials such as clothes, books, toys, and household goods.
Over time, I was encouraged to take on more responsibility, moving into an administrative role behind the scenes. This has given me the chance to learn new skills, grow in confidence, and play a bigger part in supporting the organisation’s mission.
Being part of GROAD has been humbling and inspiring. I’ve witnessed families thrive through access to food, clothing, and essentials, and I’ve seen how dignity and care can transform lives. Taking the step to volunteer has changed my own life too. I am grateful for the journey, the growth, and the opportunity to make a difference.
Lilian
Company Secretary
My name is Ola Al-Masarwah, a Syrian girl. I volunteered at ShoptoDonate initially to integrate into the community and have a role, even if just a small one, in contributing to building the country that welcomed me and my family after we suffered from war in my country and lost my father because of that war. However, I found that this organisation has noble goals, which is to help refugees, the homeless, and people with limited income. It sells them food, clothes, and many other things at symbolic prices, in addition to providing them with free goods.
I learned from my manager, Andrea, that they also provide assistance to refugees living in hotels. At first, I wanted to volunteer only for the vacation period, but after working with them, I found all the team members organised and nice, and it was an honor to work with them all. Sometimes the work is hard, but when we feel that we have contributed to helping people, even in a small way, we feel happy and forget the fatigue. Now, after this wonderful experience, I want to continue working with them. I have learned new things and I am still learning every day.
This place has taught me that goodness still exists and that we can fight high prices. In my country, we call this method social solidarity, which is everyone’s participation in helping others in need. Therefore, every person can play a role in this wonderful place by making donations that help other people.
Ola Al-Masarwah
GROAD Volunteer
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