Ahead of National Volunteer Week, PETER BARRON meets a Darlington man whose life has been lit up by donating his time to Oxfam...
HIDDEN away, behind the scenes in town centre building they call The Tardis, Mark Bush is in his ‘happy place’ – a workshop overflowing with electrical gadgets.
Mark is a volunteer PAT (portable appliance testing) specialist, making sure that all kinds of electrical goods, donated by the public, can be safely sold in Darlington’s Oxfam Shop to raise funds for the charity.
Radios, vacuum cleaners, toasters, slow-cookers, hairdryers, food-mixers, blenders, trouser-presses – you name it, Mark tests 'em.
He’s become Darlington’s very own Inspector Gadget, and his volunteering generates thousands of pounds in revenue to help Oxfam fight global poverty.
“It gives me so much,” he says. “I’ve developed new skills, boosted my confidence, and found an extended family made up of lovely people.”
National Volunteer Week – an annual celebration of the vast army of volunteers beavering away across the UK – starts on Monday.
Mark, 55, is just one of an estimated 14.2 million people who volunteer, in so many ways, through formal groups or organisations each year. They are the glue that holds the nation together, and Mark is proud to be getting stuck in.
He was born in Singapore where his dad was serving in the Royal Marines, but grew up in Blackpool, spending most of his working life in cafes and bars on The Pleasure Beach.
When he moved to Darlington in 1996, he maintained vehicles for a taxi firm, and did stints as a welder and electrician, but found himself out of work and looking for fulfilment.
Two years ago, he went to the Darlington Volunteering Fair, at The Dolphin Centre, and started chatting to Rachel Parry, manager of the Darlington Oxfam shop.
“Rachel told me there was an attic full of electrical appliances that had been donated, but they needed a PAT tester to make sure they were safe before they could be sold,” explains Mark.
“I’d never thought about it but decided to give it a go, and here am I – it was the best move I ever made.”
He started at the Oxfam shop in July last year, was put through training in PAT testing, and fitted the role like a plug in a socket.
He began working through the mountain of stock, alongside another dedicated PAT tester, Gerry Lucas, and their efforts generated more than £6,500 last year.
“It makes you feel really good to think that you’re doing something you enjoy while raising money for a brilliant charity at the same time,” he says. "I’m not sat at home, feeling bored. I’ve found a purpose.”
Mark, who does 10am-5pm shifts every Monday and Friday, is one of more than 100 volunteers giving their time in various roles at Darlington Oxfam.
The youngest are 14-year-olds doing their Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and the oldest is 82-year-old Bob Donner, who volunteers in the Oxfam book room.
The shop’s Deputy Manager, Sue Simpson, describes them as “priceless”.
“People walk past the shop but don’t realise what goes on inside – it’s like The Tardis, and we’re so lucky to have so many wonderful volunteers,” she says.
“They come for a variety of reasons: it can be to combat loneliness, while others want to overcome anxiety and gain confidence, and some want to learn new skills and enrich their CV.
“Whatever their reasons,we welcome them with open arms because we can never have enough volunteers, and Mark’s a great example of someone who was the perfect fit for a role we needed to fill.
“He’s a real grafter who puts his heart and soul into everything he does, but he enjoys the banter and having a good laugh too. Volunteering is about making a positive difference and Mark is definitely doing that.”
Mark hopes the experience he’s gaining as an Oxfam volunteer will help him find paid employment.
“But even if that happens, I’ll still want to find time to volunteer here because I love it,” he insists, before returning to the sanctuary of the workshop.
As well as the shop, on the corner of Skinnergate and Duke Street, Oxfam also sells goods online and through eBay, and there's a variety of volunteering roles available.
“It never stops,” says Sue. “There’s always something to do – always something to sell.”
As I’m about to leave the building, she spots that I've left my laptop case under a chair.
“You don’t want to leave anything lying around here – it’s likely to be sold!” she laughs.
But not before it’s been PAT tested by Mark Bush.
- Anyone wishing to find out about volunteering opportunities with Oxfam should either pop into their local shop, or go to www.oxfam.org.uk and click on the ‘Get Involved’ button.
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