Every Saturday, two young people from Kendal are giving their time to support their local community at the Kendal Lions Charity Bookshop in Wainwright’s Yard.

Meet Ella and Freddie, who volunteer at the bookshop alongside their studies. Freddie is working towards his GCSEs, while Ella is studying for her A Levels.

Celebrating 100 hours of volunteering

Ella’s dedication was recently recognised when she achieved the Kendal Lions Young Leaders Award (Gold) after completing an incredible 100 hours of volunteering over 12 months.

The award celebrates her commitment, hard work and reliability in supporting her local community.

Kendal & District Lions President Alison Audsley said: “Reaching the 100-hour milestone requires consistent effort and reliability, qualities that will undoubtedly serve her well in all her future endeavours.”

For Ella volunteering counts towards her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and continues the family connection to the Lions, her grandparents volunteered with the organisation.

Ella says it’s the charity bookshop is a good way to meet a wider mix of people, including older people.

Books, skills and experience

For Freddie, volunteering combines his love of reading with his desire to gain work experience and make good use of his spare time.

Both Ella and Freddie help with a variety of tasks at the bookshop. When donations arrive, they sort through the books and prepare them for sale. This can involve a wipe down, a check on their condition and sometimes giving the non-spine edges a brush with fine sandpaper.

Their other jobs include: