Volunteers at the warehouse

Before a starter pack reaches a doorstep in Dumfries, someone has checked the kettle, folded bedding, and logged what left the shelf. Before a sofa appears in the shop window, someone has cleaned it, tested it, and moved it without scratching the paintwork.

That work mostly happens at Merrick House—warehouse space, sorting benches, and the steady rhythm of volunteers who turn up because they have seen what empty flats look like.

One regular described a Saturday shift as “retail logistics with a conscience”: donations in, items graded, furniture staged for the shop, small homeware bundled for packs. It is physical, sometimes repetitive, and occasionally emotional when a referral story reaches the team second-hand.

Volunteering is not a substitute for paid roles that coordinate referrals and keep the charity compliant—but it stretches every pound donated. Hours on the floor mean staff can focus on partners, deliveries, and the clients who should not have to wait.

SHAX also offers structured volunteer placements for people building confidence or experience. Those journeys are slower, supervised, and tied to what someone can safely take on—not everyone starts on heavy lifting.

If you want to help with your hands, contact the charity through shax.org.uk. If you want to fund the work without lifting boxes, local giving and sponsorship keep packs moving when volunteer shifts end.