About The Work-Link Project |
The Van Crew
Established in 1986, Work-Link was formed to provide meaningful volunteering opportunities for residents of Hinckley and Bosworth. Based around a furniture and electrical retail outlet offering used furniture and electrical items to members of the public with discounts for families who are in receipt of government benefits.
Between April 2009 and March 2010 we delivered furniture to 1309 homes in the Hinckley area and saved approximately 54 tonnes of furniture and electrical items from landfill. We have recently increased our income by the introduction of Gift Aid on donations and by offering a P.A.T testing service to other local volunteer agencies.
The demand for electrical items has quickly exceeded donations. Through a partnership with Hinckley & Bosworth Council we now collect electrical items on their behalf throughout the borough. Many of these items are in working order and can be sold in our electrical showroom alongside our furniture. Our electrical operation not only saves items from landfill it offers training opportunities for volunteers in Portable Appliance Testing to City and Guilds standard.
We also take a lead role in the Christmas Toy Appeal, volunteers delivered toys to and hampers to 379 homes in Hinckley and surrounding villages through Christmas 2009.
Our new look showroom is very welcoming and enables customers to view and select their purchases and shows them they are valued.
Offering a good service is very important to us. All our volunteers are trained in customer service and adhere to our customer service policies and procedures. Feedback forms are given to customers to measure the van crew's reliability, courtesy and politeness.
Our stock control database not only ensures we know what stock is available but it allocates weights (approved nationally) so items from land fill sites can be measured. The accuracy of our systems also enables us to claim Gift Aid as mentioned above on furniture donations.
Work-Link has built on the experience gained over many years to become the professional organisation it has become today, offering an invaluable service to the local community.