Appeal from Barnardo's

Shop Manager Stephanie Dillon said: “Volunteering at a Barnardo’s shop can make a big difference to your life. We are a small but very friendly team and volunteering provides the opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills and have some fun, as well as supporting Barnardo’s to help turn children’s lives around.

“We offer training in retail skills and stock rotation and we are very flexible to accommodate whatever time commitment our volunteers are able to give. We are pleased to welcome people of any age and background including students who are interested in volunteering. Our volunteers always say they would encourage anyone thinking of volunteering to give it a go as you will never regret it.”

Barnardo’s depends on the income from its shops to support its work with children and young people across Northern Ireland who are less-advantaged and vulnerable.

In the Moira/Lisburn area it provides counselling in twelve primary schools through its Time For Me service supporting pupils to cope better with bereavement, family problems and worries about friendship and school work so they can concentrate better on learning. It also runs a mother and toddler programme in communities in the Moira/Lisburn area called PIP (parent and infant programme) aimed at strengthening early parent/child relationships. Barnardo’s counselling service for children who have been bereaved and training for professionals to raise awareness of the signs of child sexual exploitation also operate across the Lisburn/Moira area.

For more information on volunteering contact Barnardo’s Moira shop manager Stephanie Dillon on 028 9261 0664.