From customer to volunteer: Susan finds community at the Horny Red Cross Shop

When Susan Philip first stepped into the Red Cross Shop in Hornby, she was just hoping to find a warm jacket. She had recently moved from tropical Kerala, India, to Christchurch to begin her Master’s in Strategic Communications, and the sudden chill of a Canterbury winter took her by surprise.

She left the shop that day with a beige puffer jacket – and a lasting impression.

“I liked how I was treated,” says Susan. “I didn’t feel like the people there were speaking to me just to sell things, but out of genuine concern. I liked the vibe.”

As Susan was new to Aotearoa New Zealand and didn’t know many people here, she appreciated meeting people who were friendly. Far from home, Susan found something more than a good deal on a coat – she found kindness and connection.

On the other side of the counter

Now, Susan is on the other side of the counter. After finishing her degree, she started volunteering one day a week as part of the team of friendly retail assistants who greet and help our customers – just like the volunteers who greeted her on her first visit to our store.

She helps care for the clothing in store, keeping the shop organised and tidy, and greeting and helping customers find what they need.

New Zealand Red Cross Director of Retail, Talei Kitchingman, says, “Shop volunteers like Susan are amazing connectors in our communities - they make sure that our customers who visit our shops have a great experience. Their mahi | work is also crucial because every sale supports our wider humanitarian work across the country.”

Susan has had retail experience from working part-time in large chain shops as a student, but she chose to join Red Cross as a volunteer because she wanted to give back, and because of the positive customer experience she’d had in the shop when she first arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Even a bit of kindness meant a lot to me then,” she says.

A diverse team of volunteers

For Susan, the sense of community she felt as a customer has only deepened as a volunteer. Her team includes retirees, students, newcomers to New Zealand, and long-time locals. Despite their different backgrounds, they’re united by a shared purpose: to help others.

“Usually, I'd be working with people who are similar to me in professional backgrounds or age. But working with people who have no connection with me is different – we're here because we all have a desire to be of service,” says Susan.

Talei, our Director of Retail, says volunteers are often attracted to our shops because the shop teams actively encourage and support people from a diverse range of cultures and experiences to get involved.

And in between folding shirts and greeting customers, there’s always time for laughter, conversation and cups of tea shared with fellow volunteers. It’s these moments – just as much as the work itself – that keeps Susan coming back.