To be bloody annoyed by the 'helpers' at the NCT sale.

[littleoldme]

There must have been about 20 odd helpers there. It opened at 10 I queued from about 9.30 as I'd been advised to get in early and get the good stuff. Then I find out that the people helping get first pick before it opens and all the decent clothes - what I went for - had gone before it even started. I did find one nice thing and the woman at the pay desk said " Oooo that's nice, I wonder how I missed it " . No more NCT for me.Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Fair do's on them - help out next time!

1. you could have helped

2. well, if you will go to NCT sales....

They have enormous trouble getting people to help, and it is hard work to organise the sale and so the prek of being a helper is first pick, as the perk of members of the nct is that they can enter the hall before non members

Maybe you have point nooo. I was just annoyed that literally ALL the 9-12 boys stuff was sitting in a bulging bag beside one of the helpers at the pay desk. But then again life's too effin short. I'll stick to ebay

don't forget charity shops too - they frequently have some nice clothes if you have the time to go rummaging.

Slack - point 2 is well made. I shan't be going again!.

I get loads of stuff from the chazzas too. Including, I might add, a rather nice per una coat for a fiver. It's so much nicer when it's a bargain.

why not just help out? i'm genuinely puzzled.

Don't you have to be a member to help out?

No you don't have to be a member to help out. I was helping at one for 5.5 hours today!!! Although I am a member.

Also technically they shouldn't have a members queue that gets in before non-members but there you go.

they've never asked me.

Help out, than you too can get the best stuff.

Having said that, NNS volunteers have been given specific instructions not to say things such as "Oooo that's nice, I wonder how I missed it". Someone has not been reading HO guidance.....

i really hope you're not in g;asgow cargirl... i've a bad feeling that i've just missed ours.

Helpers' perogative, I'm afraid. Seems fair enough to me.

Sorry about sp. "Then you too" it should read

I bet there were MORE than 20 helpers - our sale has about 30/40 helpers I think - there will be lots of people behind the scenes you don't see. I DO know what you mean - in our sale, about 1/4 of the money is taken before the sale start, & I do think we should publicise that better, sometimes ... certainly lots of the good, big stuff goes to helpers.

But hey, the sale wouldn't happen at all if there weren't helpers (who give up their sat ams to help for free, remember) ...

So, volunteer to help out, spend 3 hours lugging tables around & unpacking other people's boxes, putting together clothing rails; and then spend 1.5 hours sitting at a till/helping in a hall, oh, & then spend 2 hours clearing everything back up, repacking everything into sellers boxes, lugging tables back, then sit around waiting for sellers who don't turn up until an hour after the hall's been closed ....

Actually, I quite enjoy it, but it is a faff, honest

I'm just annoyed that there was never any chance of me getting the stuff I went for. I understand that people volunteer their time etc...

At NCT sales in our area, they open to the public at 11, and to enable that that to happen, helpers have to arrive at 8am - and if they work thorugh til the end that is until 3pm. You can surely imahgine someone who has done that then being able to pick over the leftovers at the end and happiy say 'oh well, all the 9-12 boys stuff went tosomeone else, how happy i am"

IME NCT sales are better for younger age clothes, anyway.

I've helped out at loads of NCT sales. Why don't you help too? Don't wait to be asked -find out who is in charge of volunteers and ask to be put on the rota.

i agree with op

helpers nabbing all the best stuff isn't in the spirit of the thing at all

the point is the nearly new sales is
to raise money
to promote the nct and recruit new members
to provide a service to sellers and buyers

this sort of thing is why nct often has a reputation of closed shop cliquiness

feel totally able to say this as was once a committee member

Don't have to be a member to help out but I echo what littleduck said. That's one of the perks of being a helper. I think that it's a bit hit and miss as well though depending on which branch's sale that you go to. Sellers should only put out the best stuff anyway. The one that I helped out at the previous week had all the clothes on hangers which makes it easier to look at as well.

Even if no one has asked you to help, you can. However it is hard work.

I am a bit for you that you the helper with her big bag of goodies. At our sale if you help then yes you do get first pick, BUT you then don't gloat about it/walk past the queue with all your bargains.

Funny, that's an excellent point. They should let people know they do that.

makes sense- help out,get 1st dibs.canny actually

Thanks Mazzy, couldn't have put it better myself.