Tenovus volunteer raises thousands from eBay sales
CHARITIES rely on their fundraisers but one volunteer has ensured that eBay has become a goldmine.
Janet Braddick is a volunteer at Tenovus Cancer Care’s warehouse in Llanishen, Cardiff.
The charity makes around £85,000 a year from eBay sales, and says thousands of that is due to Janet who they nickname “The Machine”.
She signed up two years ago to be an eBay lister and now she has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the charity.
The idea of the role was to maximise the amount of money made from donations.
The charity carries out house clearances and can find hugely valuable antiques or items which wouldn’t generate as much in shops.
So, a team sift through the donations and list what they hope will be money spinners on the online auc- tion shop.
On top of that, they have donations from brands like Mint Velvet who donate a large number of new goods for sale.
Other items currently being listed are Doctor Who merchandise, novels, a Nikon camera or vintage crockery.
On Thursday, Janet’s fundraising was recognised for her work at the charity’s annual volunteer awards.
Janet, 68, lives in Whitchurch, Cardiff, and turned her hobby into a crucial arm of the charity’s fundraising.
“I was computer literate and I could use eBay but I was retired and I had a lot of time on my hands.
“It was meant to be for four hours a week but now I do two days and train others.”
She said the items that are donated to the charity can be hugely varied but it is up to her and the other warehouse staff to research online their true worth.
Sometimes the prices surprise the team.
“We put some Ercol furniture online and we thought it would raise about £200 but we actually got £500.”
Other items which have raised large amounts have been musical instruments, including accordions, which sell well.
She got involved in the charity after her husband died from cancer two years ago.
“I wanted to work with a Welsh cancer charity, just to give something back. It’s so very rewarding. I get more out of it than I put in, it’s just like working for a family.”