Because of my job, I'm known in my local community among people who volunteer. In the last 48 hours I've had some concerning texts and emails. Mainly about charities who are now doing everything they can to save money, and in some cases cut corners.

The first concerning thing is that so many volunteers have been shielding and can't provide the shop services they would otherwise do. Many of these volunteers were executive level before retiring for whatever reasons, so some charities had given them email addresses and remote working access, to cover for furloughed staff who are not allowed to work. I know of at least 3 charities in my local area where this access was suddenly turned off yesterday because "computer software licensing is expensive" even though nothing was said about the furloughed staff they temporarily replaced.

The second and most concerning thing of all is that with incidences and deaths on the rise again, many of these volunteers who really should be shielding, are being persuaded to return to their former shop service roles because without them, their charity shops can't open every day at the full hours they need to be open for to recover all the lost income from when the national lockdown happened earlier this year. Some of the language used in emails sent to volunteers personal email addresses is very blunt and so to the point that it reminds me of one of those call centre scams you see on youtube and twitch live streams.

As someone who works in the medical sector of charities that supports the NHS, as amazing as the NHS and its people are, the NHS can't do everything lest we forget there's a global pandemic on right now. I feel ashamed and embarrassed that colleagues of mine who work for other charities in my sector, colleagues who are most likely working from home in a safe and secure environment are very obviously guilt tripping, if not actually gaslighting, the more vulnerable of their volunteering resource who desperately want to help but really should be shielding at home, staying safe. All to make a couple of quid that's little more than a drop in the ocean. To make a similar point, Chancellor Sunak did everything he could but even he can't do everything and save every job and save every business, especially charities.

You know in every window of every charity shop that's still open in my local high street, I see so many signs begging for volunteers to help them out, even going so far to say "even 1 hour of your time would be great, we'll work around whatever time you can give us". I know every charity is in dire straits, I know the situation is going to get worse before it gets better, but the one thing I will not do is force my wonderful volunteers out of safety to make a couple of quid. It's often said that volunteers are priceless. I wish my colleagues at other charities wouldn't put a price on them, as they're clearly and obviously doing right now.

I've sent emails to the CEO's of those charities, expressing my disappointment with how they're treating their wonderful volunteers, without who the charity sector simply wouldn't exist. I'd like to hear the thoughts of the good people here about these worrying developments.