We are a rather unusual charity I think as we have no paid staff and never have had.The charity was founded in 2002 and we opened a charity shop in 2013. I am one of the three trustees and do most of the admin work as well as being charity shop manager. I also go to Kenya once or twice a year to oversee our various projects there. To cut a long story short, the founder /chairman and I are exhausted. We have tried to recruit trustees from amongst our monthly donors with no success.We are in our 60s and know it could be wise to try to recruit younger shop volunteers and trustees but we are struggling. We appreciate our volunteers and treat them well, there are no problems like that. But regardless, people only want to work a few hours in a week whereas i work 10-5 at least four days a week in the shop and do admin when I get time off. 

Can anyone suggest how to attract volunteers and trustees with more time, energy and skills to give? We would feel that if we had ro start and employ someone, their wages would be money that should be going to orphans and street-children in Kenya and we dread that ever having to happen. Does anyone have experience of running a small charity the way we have and can make any suggestion? Obviously we need people who share our beliefs and agree with the ethos of the charity. I think volunteering must be great for people who cannot find paid employment but enjoy doing something worthwhile. Or are they a dying breed?

All comments welcome.

Audrey Johnston (secretary of Life-line Ministries (Ireland))