Discogs Volunteers

We recently spoke with two of our music-loving volunteers, Martin (pictured) and Christian, who value and sell donated vinyl for the Hospice, along with long-standing volunteer Malcolm.

After records are donated in our shops, our volunteers inspect and research them before deciding where to sell them. They upload higher value records to the online platform Discogs, while the rest are sold in three of our shops (Returned to Glory, Amersham Owned and Abbots Langley).

Both Martin and Christian were drawn to the role due to their lifelong interest in music and a desire to make a positive difference through volunteering.  

 “It’s nice to get outside your normal circle and interact with completely different people,” Martin said, praising the social aspects of his role. “It’s a great combination of mental stimulation, getting out of your usual routine, and doing something for a good cause. It’s everything I was looking for in a volunteering role."

Christian, who retired from a career in fashion and the garment industry, finds great satisfaction in uncovering value in donated vinyl. “It’s the excitement of finding out how much a record is worth,” he says. “It could be £1, £100 or even £1,000. That feeling that I got from making a successful sale in my career – I’ve got it back now.”

For Christian, his most exciting find was the Beatles single “Please, Please Me” which raised £100 for our care, selling in less than 24 hours online.

For Martin, it was two first edition Pink Floyd albums in excellent condition, which came with postcards and a poster in the sleeve inserts. “Considering it’s from stuff that people might have otherwise lost in the attic or chucked in a skip, it’s gold dust for a charitable organisation,” Martin said.

Huge thanks to Martin, Malcolm and Christian– and to our 500 shop volunteers who make our care possible. Last year, our trading volunteers gave an amazing 58,000 hours of their time!

If you have unwanted vinyl, please consider donating it in our shops – we currently need more vinyl donations.