September 13, 2019 - 1609 views
Llinos Hughes of Penmaenmawr started volunteering with Crest Co-operative on the 1st March last year – and she’s not looked back since.
Before her time at Crest, Llinos used to be a waitress and a cleaner in a pub. “I did plan on going to university to study law but then plans changed when my boy was born.”
Whilst raising her son as a single parent, Llinos struggled to find suitable work around raising a child on her own before finding out about Crest online. “I found out about a vacancy as a volunteer café assistant, I applied for it, got interviewed and the rest is now history.
Starting on St David’s Day, a day that holds significance for Welsh-born Llinos, she fit in straight away. “My first day was nerve wracking. I never worked with clients with learning difficulties before and didn’t know if I could handle the pressure! Thankfully I have!”
Llinos built up her skills volunteering in the café, learning how to use the till, how to cook, and to help support Crest’s WorkOpps team – vulnerable adults with disabilities or learning difficulties. The atmosphere and family friendly feel of Crest certainly helped. “Working in the café, you hear the strangest stories, too many for me to mention… and some too rude to talk about! It’s hilarious!”
By the end of the year Llinos had the desire to learn something new, so approached Crest about possibly helping out in the Retail department. “I enjoy the café but I wanted to enhance my skills so I asked to move into Retail, so now I help out in both.”
“Working at Crest has helped my confidence to grow so much. Being in Retail allows me to interact with customers much more. You’re more involved on the shop floor – you’re expected to multitask so much. You answer the phones, serve customers, deal with enquiries, there’s so much to do. I even build the flatpack furniture!”
A few months later and Llinos was offered a contract of employment at Crest, after impressing the management team with her ability to adapt into the Retail department and for her continuous hard work in both departments.
“Now I’m a member of staff rather than a volunteer in Retail I feel the responsibility much more. You need to delegate jobs to the volunteers and practically run the shop. I was out of my comfort zone at first but I saw the challenge and went for it.”
She balances her work and home life and enjoys spending time with her family, her dog and playing video games. “I have an Xbox One and love Assassins Creed and Forza Motorsport. More importantly Crest has been great in supporting my need to spend time with my family and my son, and allowing me to work my hours around my personal life. I start work after dropping my son off in school and leave before he finishes.”
Llinos’ Crest journey is only 18 months old and so much has happened already, but it feels like this is only the beginning. After clocking over 600 hours of volunteering for Crest, doing training in Food and Hygiene and Safeguarding, life seems to be on the up for Llinos. “I love the WorkOpps team, they’re the best thing about Crest. One of the clients gave me a massive A3 certificate for “Best Retail Staff Member Ever”!
“Crest has given me a life. It’s given me the opportunity to grow as a person. It’s given me a job – something I’ve worked so hard to achieve. It’s also allowed me to make some great friends that I cherish.”
