Where can you buy a Noritake dinner set worth $500 for $1 a plate, send hundreds of dollars of donations to Fiji, and find therapy in sorting second-hand clothes with friends? For decades, a small church op shop in Wentworthville has been transforming lives, both for those who shop there and those who volunteer.
Operating since 1974 and run by Wentworthville Uniting Church, the op shop opens just two days a week – Fridays and Saturdays, 9:30am to 1pm. But its impact extends far beyond those hours. With 20 volunteers, the shop has evolved from a small operation into a thriving community hub that supports refugees, disaster relief efforts, and international development projects.
Ann Cooper, the op shop manager, ensures everything runs smoothly. "It's a matter of making sure that when [volunteers] are here, they're enjoying what they're doing," she says. The volunteers call their Tuesday sorting sessions "therapy" – a time to laugh, cry, and chat while preparing donations for sale.
The shop serves a diverse community, including a large subcontinental and Asian population. For many new arrivals to Australia, the availability of affordable goods is crucial. "[A shop] like this which provides all sorts of goods for low prices makes a big difference," says church leader Rev. Meredith Williams.
One regular customer, Tina, has been shopping there for over 20 years. "It's the cheapest shop in town. I can't wait till it opens. I come early and wait out there so I can grab a bargain," she says, adding that she's never left without buying something.
Behind the scenes, volunteers perform countless tasks that keep the operation running. One member cleans weekly, others take donated clothing home to wash and iron, and one volunteer cuts unusable sheets into rags for use in factories to clean machinery.
Titilia Ratumaiwai, a member of the church associated with the op shop and a volunteer for nearly 20 years, sends approximately $400 worth of goods from the op shop to Fiji twice a year.
"The people in Fiji appreciate all the little things that come from here," she says. She fills suitcases with specific items people request – baby clothes for new mothers, household goods for families in need.
Another volunteer regularly sends goods to family and friends in Zimbabwe, showing photos of children wearing clothing that came from the shop’s racks.
Beyond individual generosity, the shop supports various charitable efforts as well. They donate to disaster appeals throughout New South Wales, sometimes dedicating an entire month's takings to flood relief. They support a school for disadvantaged children in Bangladesh and a village in an African country, and they send goods to Pacific Island communities. Small change that is collected in a jar goes to the HELP organisation in Bangladesh.
For volunteers, the emotional rewards are immeasurable. Rowena Burwood recalls comforting a customer who received news of her father's death while shopping: "It was lovely to be able to give her a cuddle and make her a cup of tea and then take her home. She comes back quite frequently now – she's become one of our regulars."
Cassandra Dellzeit, who has volunteered since 2016, finds fulfillment in helping families furnish their homes affordably. "I've seen someone who recently moved houses and they're struggling, and they can fill out their whole kitchen with bric-a-brac. That makes me happy."
The atmosphere is deliberately welcoming. "The volunteers are so friendly. People are very relaxed in here," Ann says. "If you don't buy anything, that's fine – come and have a chat, have a look around."
After decades of operation, the shop remains more than a place to find bargains. It's a community gathering place, a lifeline for newcomers, and a source of international aid – all powered by volunteers who've discovered that giving their time enriches their own lives as much as those they serve.
#helpinghandstvau #makingtheworldabetterplace #documentary #impactmakers #impact #gamechangers #socialgood #tvshowforsocialgood #becabbott #opshop #communityservice #volunteers #charity #wentworthvilleopshop #wentworthvilleunitingchurch
