British Heart Foundation

I thoroughly enjoy working at the British Heart Foundation F&E store. I have an excellent manager and assistant manager and I take pride in the work that I do. However, I only work 20 hours per week and this is not enough to survive on. There is also no potential for progression.

The main emphasis on the job is making sales. A typical day is therefore based around this this premise. I communicate with customers and assist them when required and suggest items that they may like. Stock rotation is also important and I am responsible for the electric displays around the shop. There is also a substantial amount of admin work which must be carried out daily.

Another key part of the job is arranging deliveries and collections. This may be done face to face with a customer or may be done over the phone. This is integral to the shop as it ensures that stock levels are constantly high.

One day per week I am in charge of the warehouse, a challenging role which carries responsibility. This involves the booking in and pricing of stock, the writing off of stock and the transference of stock to any other BHF store. It also involves the management of all warehouse staff and all deliveries for the following day must be made ready.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Great working for a charity that has so much invested in resources into heart conditions.  I was poorly before joining the team, I was made to feel welcome and everyone got on with each other most of the time, the manager was always supportive and great to work with I worked on set days so I didn't know everyone, but those I did were fun, supportive, and very good company.  I have only stopped working there as I've moved away. But I'm still in touch with those I worked with, it's a good wat to meet and make new friends.  It helped me to deal with my issues.  I will be forever thankful for the opportunity to work for such a good charity. This charity means a great deal to me and my family. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
For me it was having to climb the stairs, I have motability issues.  And I am a stickler for clean toilets and it wasn't always kept to my standard. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very good place to work everyone pulled together plus there was always fun times to have. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
For me  I use to work 2 afternoon's a week, just 2 hour's each it was mostly busy sorting clothing, brick a brack, and toys.  Plus lots of chatter and laughs.

I don’t recommend working in their customer care team. The pressure to always do more is unmanageable. In addition to replying to emails, you will take approximately 50 calls a day with a maximum of 90 seconds in between calls to do admin and you will often have ten plus minutes of admin to do. If you go off the phones to finish your admin you will be questioned about your productivity and asked to get back on the phones. The management is new and has no idea what the role actually entails so there are a lot of unreasonable expectations. The turnover is high and the training is not adequate so the customer service isn’t the best. Supporters are understandably upset having to call multiple times for the same issue. There is a shocking amount of abuse from supporters who are frustrated. Many new starters do not even last through the first 3 weeks of training as the job involves learning ten plus systems and close to 200 directorates. It’s very low pay for what it is as well. Many of the team members who stay suffer from mental health and unmanageable  stress. The only good thing about working there is the benefits. 30 days annual leave is great and trust me you will need it. 

I was a volunteer here for awhile to gain knowledge, give something back with my free time while i was attending coledge. On a day to day basis there were alot of duties to get done ie cleaning the shop floor, rotating stock and stock that did not sell at this branch would then be move on to another branch, sorting through the donations into what could be sold at the store and what would have to be transferred to another store. I really enjoyed interacting with customers and members of staff. The manageress was very helpful and full of knowledge and the work load this branch took on was incredible and the hardest part of the job was handling the stock room that was overloaded with alot of donations. I got a very good insight into how most of the charity shops operate, how they raise money other than selling and what the goverment contribute aswell.

volunteer, been here 2 and a half years, a typical day insists of turning up, asking who is in charge what requires doing, this can range from putting stock out on the shop floor, operating the cash till, serving customers and generally keeping the shop floor clean and free of any hazards.
what i have learned in my time volunteering is merchandising, customer service and how to use an electronic point of sale cash till and rotating stock. 
management i have to say are so understanding, i struggle sometimes at certain things, however they are great!
i get on well with all my co workers.
the hardest part of the job is when the shop is short staffed and alot needs doing, and you have very little time to do it in as less volunteers in.
the most enjoyable part of the job is, when i am just left alone to get a particular job done, this is what i enjoy best.

Really enjoyed the actual work in the shop, but the area and upper management are ruthless and exploitative. Sales targets set were unrealistically high for the shop/staff. Uncaring unhelpful attitude from area and upper managers. Ludicrous amount of waste. Excessive sales techniques to bagder customers. Appalling pay for the amount of work you are expected to put in. Do not pay overtime even when you are forced, through their working practice's/policies, to work late! They tell you this is voluntary work!! 'New goods' are imported poor quality tat, that is embarrassing to sell,  probably made by 5 yr olds in third world countries for a slice of bread a week -  only interested in making money, no principles or morals whatsoever. Push staff to breaking point. Staff turnover very high in some shops.

I started working for BHF back January 2014 and I enjoy a days volunteering at the shop, you never know what you will be called on to do.

My job is mainly on the shop floor trying to encourage potential buyers.  The shop is currently under going a re - furb but it should be open today.

Many of the people volunteering there are from all walks of life but the shop does take on a lot of people with physical or mental disabilities which is good.

The shop sells new as well as used stuff and also electronic and electrical goods all tested in the warehouse before being taken to the shop floor.

Many of the people I have worked with have come and gone but you expect that as people get paid jobs or leave for other circumstances.

Over - all the shop is a good place to work at.

Your day will usually be spent putting out clothes and bric- a- brac displays, rotating items to date, till work and a bit of dressing the mannequins and busts. Sometimes you'll be asked to do a bit of fundraising and promoting on seasonal deals etc. There is training on all of these things if your new. Lots of friendly faces to help you if you get stuck.

I learned a great deal in visual merchandising and general shop assistant work with BHF. 

The hardest part of the job can be the till work if queues get a bit crazy and shop is a bit small so can be hard to get around and do your tasks. My favourite part of the job was the visual merchandising aspect of it. Putting something out and seeing someone love the item and take it home is very rewarding. Not to mention a great volunteer discount.

Have been working here for the past few months. And glad to say am really enjoying it. I feel welcomed and i get along with all staff and people alongside me. I get given tasks and i thrive to succeed in them and get praise afterwards. I get given the perfect amount of time for breaks to go and relax alone or with colleagues and feel safe and not judged for who i am as a person. Everyone is humerous but mannered which is a good thing to go about when working with other people. I fully recommend working here even to just get the knowledge and skills of working in retail and working overall. Its a very good step for coming out from being shy and being more talkative to customers and staff. It highly improves your CV and also gives that confidence boost at the same time :)


My day was the same very time a came in worked on customer donation request, that they wanted to donate, really enjoyed it but I had a few problems with managers because I got accused of making a big mistake in my work when I knew I didn't make it but got blamed of it anyway. Non of the mangers are liked my the employees but no one would do anything about it. At the furniture  electrical in the Ealing branch. I got on well with all the Admin staff, sells assistants and warehouse staff, the Admin have to work closely with ware house because they have to collect the furniture and electricians.    
I was very good at my Job and I was a volunteer working in Admin, I enjoyed helping customers donate there furniture as it's going to a good cores and enjoyed  learning about gift Aid.

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