Faces of FareShare – Phillip Murphy, London

What is your role at FareShare?

I’m a volunteer at FareShare London.

How did you get involved in volunteering with FareShare?

I was unemployed and homeless, but when I moved to Deptford I found a Christian group at a local church which runs a food bank and they have been helping me get back on my feet.

They suggested FareShare to me as somewhere I might be able to volunteer while I look for more permanent employment. It sounded like a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience and top up my CV.

What have you had exposure to so far?

Mostly I’ve been working on the warehouse floor to separate and organise food for charities as well as in the vans helping on deliveries. It’s been really rewarding and everyone is welcoming.

Do you have any key highlights from your experience so far? 

The places and people we have been visiting as well as organising orders has been great. Having the chance to see where the food goes and the people it helps is brilliant.

I’d been homeless for a few years in London before I got my place in Deptford, so I’ve been on the receiving end of the support in the past and now I’m actually able to give back to people. Volunteering at FareShare is amazing. I’ve always wanted to help other people and this is a great way to do it.

What's the best thing about FareShare?

How much people care. Everyone really wants to help the charities and community groups FareShare supports as much as they can. And they want to help the volunteers too – I’m even getting help with my CV and they make sure that you get as much out of your experience as possible, helping me gain lots of new skills.

Would you recommend the experience to other people?

Absolutely - they'll be sick of seeing me!

To find out more about volunteering opportunities available across the UK, visit http://fareshare.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/