Finally enjoying some liberty as we gradually emerge from lockdown, lots of us are looking to try new things to make the most of our newfound freedom.
It was with that in mind that I found myself clad in a blazingly bright orange top and trying to entice shoppers into the new Curated Aberdeen indoor market last Saturday afternoon.
Stallholder fees from the dozens of local traders in the Bon Accord Centre unit go to Charlie House, and volunteers from the children’s charity ensure it runs smoothly.
I’d written a few stories about the market’s success and, after seeing an appeal for more volunteers, decided to offer my services in case they were especially desperate.
There was a slot available, from 1.30pm to 5pm on the last weekend of June so I seized my chance.
Upon arrival, I was promptly whisked into a back room lined with dozens of fluffy toys of Charlie House’s canine mascot, handed my eye-catching uniform and given a lanyard with a bottle of hand sanitiser niftily attached.
My last retail experience was working part-time at the Spar on Midstocket Road about seven years ago, so I was a bit nervous.
But my guide for the day, Charlie House’s director of fundraising Susan Crighton, outlined what it would involve and immediately put me at ease.
Volunteers can do a bit of everything with tasks including checking in on traders, promoting the charity’s merchandise, handing out leaflets and telling people about its plans.
You might even end up persuading people to snap selfies with their head framed by a bright-orange house in an effort to spread word across social media.
The hardest part was posing for photographs myself, I’m used to being on the other side of the camera with pen and notepad in hand.
As Susan was explaining things, the winner of the previous week’s raffle arrived to collect her prize.
Delighted mum Lisa Elrick told us she counts herself as one of the fledgling venue’s biggest fans.
She said: “I was in last week and I absolutely love it; I was buying end of school gifts for for the teachers at the children’s school, ordering some art prints and I got a nice bottle of rum for Father’s Day.
“It’s fab that this is putting money into local businesses and helping a charity.”
It’s great to see people like Lisa so obviously enjoying being back out and about again, weaving between shoppers laden with bags as she eyes up her next purchase.
Market manager Darren Lynch used to work at Debenhams in London and told me about his tumultuous time in retail during recent years.
As well as providing Darren with a new job, Curated Aberdeen has welcomed former John Lewis employees as volunteers following the closure of the city branch.
I spent much of my time at the entrance to the former River Island store, concentrating on clicking two tally counters – one for the overall number of visitors and another to be adjusted accordingly when people come and go.
There’s a capacity limit of 100 people at Curated Aberdeen, so it’s important to keep track of those entering.
Aside from gazing furrowed-brow at the clickers to make sure I was pressing the right one, I was kept busy explaining the concept of the place to intrigued passersby, showing shoppers the one-way system and guiding them to our row of multi-coloured sanitiser bottles.
A particular challenge was trying to persuade visitors to enter a raffle, with a handbag worth about £40 the prize.
I’d had a dozen or so setbacks before someone finally agreed to buy a ticket from me, and the buzz from that sale felt like scoring a last-minute winner at the Euros.
There were occasional rushes at the door, where I needed to go through my welcoming spiel in fast-forward as queues began to form.
“Hello-have-you-been-before? There’s-a-one-way-system-and-help-yourself-to-hand-sanitiser, enjoy-your-visit” I repeated rapidly until the entrance was clear.
It’s little surprise that the three-and-a-half-hour stint breezed by.
What your help goes towards
Among the upbeat pop tunes and cheery bustle of shoppers are some serious reminders of what this is really all about.
Huge boards show detailed images of how Charlie House’s £8 million specialist support centre will look, from the rooms children and families will stay in to the play areas outside.
In the centre, there will also be a dedicated arts and crafts room, a teen den, spa pool and comfortable family suites.
At the moment, families from the north-east have to travel about 100 miles to reach a place like this.
Susan told me that the section of the market dedicated to showing off the project has been expanded as the charity nears the halfway milestone of £4m, which is when building can begin.
The charity’s space now shows the star room, which will be a private spot for families to be with their little one after they have passed away.
Seeing so many happy children visiting the market with their parents and grandparents, you couldn’t help but feel for the youngsters whose tough circumstances mean they are unable to take part in even such simple pleasures.
For them, the new centre will mean more quality time spent with their loved ones. In some cases, that time might be a precious commodity.
People can donate to the Big Build Appeal online.
To help out Charlie House at the market, email volunteer@charliehouse.org.uk or call 01224 313333.
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