THREE teenagers are bringing their youth and energy to the charity shop business in Weymouth’s town centre.

Twin sisters Emily and Amy Guppy are the latest volunteers at the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust shop in St Thomas Street.

The fashion-conscious 17-year-olds are helping out behind the counter and on the shop floor one afternoon a week during term time and more in the summer.

Emily, of Lodmoor, had her first volunteering session on Monday this week.

She said: “We originally wanted to help patients but we weren’t allowed because you have to be 18 so we said we’d help out in the shop.

“We go there once a week, I’m working Mondays and my sister Amy is doing every Tuesday.

“We’re non-identical twins, Amy has blonde hair and I’m dark haired, so there’s no chance of us being mixed up.”

Emily, who also does volunteer work with the League of Friends at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, said she had wanted to do ‘something else to help’.

Both sisters are studying for their A-levels at Budmouth Technology College with Emily doing chemistry, maths, physics and French – although she is dropping the latter to do a biology AS course next year.

Amy is currently studying chemistry, maths, biology and art.

On Emily’s first shift at the charity shop, customers praised her for leading the way for other youngsters to give up their time to help others.

She said: “One of the ladies asked if I was helping out and said it was really good.

“I like meeting new people, gaining more skills and I love working with the little old people.”

Weymouth College student Lauren Pruce has worked at the St Thomas Street store every Wednesday afternoon since the beginning of February.

The 17-year-old said: “I just felt like I wanted to help a bit more.

“They were really short-staffed there and work really hard so I asked if I could help out.”

Lauren, who lives in Dorchester, also works part-time at Next clothing store in Weymouth and fits all the shop work around her four-day-a-week business course.

Her event marketing skills have helped to raise funds for other good causes through college socials, including £500 for Wyvern School, and she has been involved in a sponsored cycle ride and run.

Lauren said: “I’d definitely recommend charity work.

“A lot of people like to put it on their CVs but I didn’t really intend to do that.

“I just enjoy doing things for other people.”

She added: “At the Weldmar shop you meet new people all the time.

“It’s such a laugh and everyone is really inspirational.

“My manager Laura is absolutely lovely.”

Valerie Burnham, retail director for Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, praised the three young Weymouth volunteers and Hannah Russell, aged 17, who volunteers weekly at Dorchester’s Weldmar Hospicecare Trust’s charity shop.

She said: “We have four very super girls, all 17, who volunteer.

“We hope they will encourage a whole new dimension of volunteers and shoppers.”

Show them you care

THE Show Them You Care campaign has raised £4,273.20 since the appeal was launched on February 28 but there is a long way to go to hit the £60,000 target needed to pay for a community nurse for a year.

All the money will be used to fund a nurse for a year and pay for all of their support and expenses.

Crucially, it would mean even more patients and their families receiving all the support they need, when they need it most.

Donate by visiting webpage www.justgiving.com/weldmarnurse Send cheques payable to ‘The Weldmar Hospicecare Trust’ to the Dorset Echo offices at Fleet House, Hampshire Road, Weymouth, DT4 9XD We would also like to hear your stories of how Weldmar has helped you.

Call Laura Kitching on 01305 830984.