A former department store sales assistant ‘came out of retirement’ for a morning when her Bournemouth care home arranged for her to volunteer at a cancer charity shop.
Dorothy ‘Dotty’ Dixon, 89, who lives at Colten Care’s Avon Cliff, was ‘in her element once again’ as she served customers at Wessex Cancer Support in Poole Road, Westbourne.
Dotty spent her whole career in retail, working for many years at the now-closed Beales store in Bournemouth and at the shoe shop Dolcis.
She didn’t need to be asked twice when Colten Companion Elise Martin suggested she might like the chance to relive her retail days.
Elise knew that Dotty loved her career, has a personal connection with Wessex Cancer Support and had been thrilled when Avon Cliff residents chose it as the home’s charity for this year.
Having made the necessary arrangements with Wessex Cancer Support’s Alina Foey, Retail Area Manager, and Hannah Bignell, Head of Volunteering and Training, Elise accompanied Dotty on a minibus trip to the shop.
“We spent the morning there with Alina and Hannah, and Dotty was soon back into the swing of things,” said Elise. “First, they invited her to check all the coat hangers were correctly labelled and looking neat. Then, under their guidance, she had a stint behind the till serving customers. Of course, she couldn’t resist a little browse on the job and even used her sales skills to convince me to buy a lovely winter coat. Dotty chatted with customers throughout the morning, helping one lady choose accessories to go with her new dress.”
Elise added: “Seeing Dotty in her element once again while doing something for a great cause was truly heartwarming. She relished the chance to be out in the community giving back to the charity we have been fundraising for this year. It was the best example of ‘retail therapy’, such a valuable experience.”
Dotty said: “Being here doing this again made me quite emotional. I forgot how much I love it. There is something about helping a customer put an outfit together that makes me feel great. Being back in this environment was unexpected but so brilliant and I am happy I can still do it.”
Alina said: “It was lovely to meet Dotty, welcome her to the shop and enable her to rekindle her retail skills. We’re so happy she enjoyed the experience and had fun.”
Alina’s comments were echoed by Hannah who said: “Much of what we do in our shop activities relies on volunteers and Dotty certainly provided excellent support.”
Opened in March 2024, Wessex Cancer Support’s Westbourne shop sells clothing, bric-a-brac and household items. It is the charity’s only Dorset shop, with four others in Hampshire and one on the Isle of Wight.
Wessex Cancer Support is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by cancer. From professional counselling, complementary therapies, activities, support groups and courses, the charity offers a range of free wellbeing and support services for people in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
For more information on Wessex Cancer Support, visit www.wessexcancer.org.uk.
