30 Jul 2026 Volunteer News

From Saturday volunteer to degree apprentice: How The Kirkwood helped shape Rhianna’s future

For nearly five years, Saturday afternoons with The Kirkwood's Lindley shop have been a second home for 18 year old Rhianna. What began as a volunteering opportunity for her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award soon became an experience that helped shape her confidence, career aspirations and future.

Now preparing to start a Corporate Degree Apprenticeship with Morrisons this September, Rhianna says the skills, friendships and memories she has gained through volunteering at The Kirkwood have played a huge part in helping her reach this exciting milestone.

Rhianna first joined The Kirkwood as a young teenager, hoping to complete the volunteering section of her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award. She enjoyed the experience so much that she stayed on to complete both her Silver and Gold awards before continuing to volunteer long after achieving them.

She said: "My connection with The Kirkwood started at a young age. I am now 18 years old and have volunteered every Saturday afternoon for nearly five years. The Lindley Kirkwood staff and volunteers have been like family to me throughout my time at the charity shop. Some of my favourite memories growing up have been Saturday afternoons at the shop. Every week was filled with great experiences, laughter and fun."

During her time at the Lindley shop, Rhianna developed a wide range of valuable retail and workplace skills, including customer service, stock management, visual merchandising and teamwork.

She believes those experiences gave her a real advantage when applying for her apprenticeship: "I always knew I wanted a career in retail, so volunteering in a charity shop felt like the perfect place to start," she explained.

"The experience I gained with The Kirkwood helped me secure a Corporate Degree Apprenticeship with Morrisons. Being able to talk about everything I had learnt during my interview gave me the confidence to show I had the skills needed to succeed. I didn't just learn retail skills. I built relationships with the volunteers and managers that will last a lifetime. I can only describe them as family."

Rhianna's dedication was recognised when she completed her Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award and was invited to Buckingham Palace for the prestigious Gold Award celebration. She attended the event with her dad, where they enjoyed afternoon tea in the palace gardens alongside fellow award recipients before listening to a speech from Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, about the importance of young people taking part in the award. She continued: "It was a fabulous afternoon and a day that I will never forget," said Rhianna.

Looking back on her volunteering journey, Rhianna believes every young person should consider giving their time to a local charity: "I believe volunteering is incredibly important, especially for younger generations. It allows you to give something back to your community while developing transferable skills that will help throughout your life and career. Through my time with The Kirkwood, I developed my confidence, teamwork, retail skills, sense of responsibility and communication skills with people of all ages. I went from being quite shy when I first started to becoming a confident 18 year old who feels ready for the next stage of my career." She said. 

Rhianna also reflected on the impact The Kirkwood has across Kirklees and the pride she feels in knowing she has played a small part in supporting local families. She continued: "The Kirkwood is incredibly important to our community. The charity supports people living with life limiting illnesses and helps families through some of the most difficult times in their lives. Knowing I have played even a small role in helping The Kirkwood continue that work has been incredibly rewarding."

As she prepares to begin the next chapter of her career, Rhianna says volunteering with The Kirkwood is something she will always be grateful for: "I never imagined joining the charity shop at such a young age would have such a positive impact on my life," she said.

"I've made incredible memories and learnt lessons that will stay with me forever. The volunteers and managers at the Lindley shop are so welcoming, friendly and supportive, and I'm sure that's the same across all of The Kirkwood's shops. I would encourage any young person to volunteer with The Kirkwood. It's an amazing opportunity to gain experience, make lifelong friendships and give something back to your local community while helping support local hospice care."

If Rhianna's story has inspired you to also take up volunteering we'd love to here from you, we are always looking out for new volunteers to join our movement so click HERE to find out more.