A CHARITY shop is appealing for helping hands to help it deal with the busy Christmas season.

British Heart Foundation, in Evesham, is looking for helpers to donate a little of their time. They say the festive period is the busiest time of the year and the contribution that volunteers make is vital.

The Evesham Shop gives volunteers the opportunity to meet new people in the local community, use their life skills, learn new ones and help make a real difference to the fight against heart disease. The BHF has volunteers from a range of ages and backgrounds and it is a great way to make friends, become part of a team and also help save lives.

Annita Riddle, BHF regional manager said: “Our volunteers are at the heart of the charity and we simply wouldn’t be able to continue our life-saving work without them. We have thousands of volunteers who use the spare time they have since retiring to volunteer and give something back to the local community, as well as bringing their wealth of knowledge, life skills and expertise to their role.

“We appreciate every minute people can spare to volunteer and we offer a range of opportunities which can help them find a new challenge and meet new people.”

Evesham shop offers a wide variety of roles: merchandising clothes, shoes and accessories to window dressing and working behind the till, to selling Christmas cards and helping with the Christmas raffle.

The charity is also always looking for donations and operates a free collection service for larger items.