Administration
Tina Lawton
Hospice
Shops Manager
Tina Lawton is Share the Care Shops and Salerooms Manager, moving into the shoes vacated by Julie Jones who stepped down in June 2008. Tina has been Hospice Care’s Fundraising and PR Manager, since October 2005. You can get to know Tina on her “Welcome to Hospice Shops” page.
The office team, based on the first floor, Unit 14, Springham Park, Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Braddan, is: Christine Jones,Tracy Bedford, Paul Wilson, Pat Lowe, and Chris Briars. All are employed by the Company but most work flexi part-time hours.
Christine Jones divides her time with our eBay shop on the first floor of our Spring Valley office and the Fancy Dress Shop at 78 Bucks Road; Tracy Bedford looks after much of the Admin routine, but September to December each year specialises in processing Christmas card sales; Paul Wilson joined us as an office volunteer but is now a member of staff and Warehouse Manager; Pat Lowe, attends to drawing up the shops Volunteer staffing roster, and last but not least, Chris Briars is our transport Manager, arranging for collection of large donated goods and deliveries to Shops and Salerooms around the Island.
Activities throughout the shops and salerooms are co-ordinated from the office, much of which is routine. The telephones are always busy with calls from the public, many of whom have items they wish to give for resale either in the shops of salerooms. Such donated items, which could be clothing, books, shoes, bric-a-brac, and loads more, are often then delivered to the nearest shop by the donor, or collected in one of our vans. More of this later.
Contact with the shops is continuous, by phone and by visits. There are always 1,001 things needing attention, from leaky roofs to wiring, to local problems and the occasional complaint. Tina Lawton regularly visits all the shops and salerooms to discuss matters of concern with the shop Manager and see for herself just how each shop or saleroom is working - so much better than the telephone.
Share the Care have two covered vans, one with a tail lift, each with a driver and assistant, continuously employed following up calls around the Island and collecting large items, usually furniture, and returning their collections to one of the Salerooms - either Spring Valley, Waterloo Road, Ramsey; Michael Street, Peel; or the Port Erin premises. The drivers have acquired considerable knowledge of what will and what will not sell and therefore price donated furniture prior to a sale date.
Finally, Hospice Shop's success is down to a very special team spirit throughout the organisation, attention to detail - day to day and looking into the future - planning for further expansion, providing what the public want, products - albeit pre-owned - at a price and value for money which meets a need and, at the same time, generating income to pay for patient care in our Hospice and in the community.