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Val Sharpe
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Val Sharpe
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Val Sharpe
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Val Sharpe
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Val Sharpe
Val is the manager of Oxfam Books and Music in Tavistock, which she has worked hard to turn into a thriving and attractive shop, aided by a very willing band of dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers.
I meet up with Val in the shop – it’s her day off, but she obviously can’t resist helping out now she’s here. She takes me through some of their processes and I start to realise how much is involved - all donations are sorted, priced and categorised, as well as checked for first editions and antiquarian value – a first edition James Bond novel recently sold for over £400. Volunteers are busy all around us - experienced researcher Richard is training new volunteer Nick, as they check out the value of two collectable volumes of Shakespeare’s works, Mary is sorting through a recent delivery, while deputy manager, Robin is packing up an online sale. There is a distinct aura of pride in the shop and an easy rapport, possibly stemming from the fact that Val is no stranger to volunteering herself, in fact volunteering has been a significant factor at a number of stages of her life.
Val grew up in Surrey and initially worked in London in the travel sector, after studying languages at the University of Brighton. In her late twenties she decided she needed a change of career path, and spent six months volunteering for Shelter, helping the homeless and people struggling with poor housing, as well as assisting on the soup run and the clothing run with Crisis at Christmas. Armed with this experience she managed to get a job in social housing in London, and then in Bristol, and finally in Tavistock. While she lived in Bristol she also volunteered and was a trustee with Windmill Hill City Farm, a charity that provides activities on the farm for people with health and social care needs, as well as school educational visits and community projects.
Eventually she became disillusioned with working in social housing, as funding cuts changed the services it provided, and she left her position to volunteer at a new small Oxfam bookshop in Tavistock, where she met some of her current volunteer colleagues. She later secured a permanent position at Book Stop, thanks to her experience at the Oxfam bookshop, and was then delighted to return to the Oxfam fold when she was offered the position of manager of the new Books and Music shop just before it opened seven years ago. The role of manager was a steep learning curve, and Val had a lot to sort out before the shop even opened, not to mention coping with a lack of stock and a shortage of volunteers. However, she gradually resolved all the issues and the stock has expanded beyond expectations to fill what once seemed a dauntingly large and empty space.
There are now 60 volunteers, drawn together from many walks of life by a love of books and music. Val has come to have such confidence in her staff that with the appointment of her deputy manager, Robin, she was able to take a five-month trip of a lifetime to Australia and New Zealand last year. Her partner is a keen Moto Guzzi motorbike rider and he and Val were amazed at the generosity of a member of the Moto Guzzi Club in Australia who offered them a spare motorbike for a month while they toured New South Wales, before depositing the motorbike in Brisbane without ever meeting their generous benefactor. In New Zealand volunteering once again played a part, as they hired a camper van and WWOOFed their way round the two islands. ‘Willing Workers on Organic Farms’ links volunteers with hosts, and the volunteers then work on the farms in exchange for food and accommodation. Val and Andrew were prepared to turn their hand to anything and as well as seeing some incredible sights they enjoyed the most amazing cultural exchange, giving them a real insight into the community.
Now back at the shop helm again, Val says she has the ‘best job in the world’. The success of Oxfam Books and Music is obviously due to a huge collaborative effort, with the whole team constantly engaged in making the most of the shop’s opportunities - but I think Val’s infectious enthusiasm and drive have also played a huge part.
Rosemary Best
Val says there is ‘no such thing as too many volunteers’ and the shop is always recruiting, so if you are interested in volunteering please call in for a chat. Oxfam Books and Music Tavistock stocks a wide range of books and music on vinyl and CD. Donations are always welcome, and can be left at the shop in Market Street, at the bookbank in Morrisons car park or you can arrange a collection by calling 01822 613901. If you gift aid your donations to the shop this raises an additional 25% on each sale in reclaimed tax, and last financial year helped the Tavistock shop contribute an extra £7,266 to Oxfam causes.