Should I leave my job over this?

I agree with Trisher stay volunteering. They gave you a potato as you requested as soon as the rush was over. In future carry a cereal bar to eat on the way to the place so that you are not in need of food at an early stage.

I think the church is lucky to have volunteers, especially since in this case they seem to be doing quite long hours in a not very nice environment.

Perhaps it was a little thoughtless to make requests of the kitchen staff at a very busy time in the day. However, I think the way the OP was treated and spoken to was discourteous.

I also wonder whether doing voluntary work to "meet people" is quite the motivation that is needed. However, it's fairly common knowledge that many people do voluntary work to show on their cvs that they have experience of certain types of employment, so that may not make them the best volunteers either.

Frankly, I think that anyone who does a significant amount of time volunteering is not asking too much to have a break and a snack or a meal.

well yes, you are missing something, the fact that the OP is a volunteer.

Have not read whole thread bit am I missing something??? Most cafe/retail staff doing less than 6 hours don't get a break anyway so to get a free cooked meal whatever/whenever sounds more than acceptable and I would be happy to wait.

I’ve begun a thread on ask a gran re volunteering

Bluegal - 19.37 post - Yes! Obvious I’d have thought!
Not bothering kitchen staff during service is pretty obvious too ...

We chose to volunteer for different reasons - I don't believe in altruism - in your case perhaps you need to receive something back other than the satisfaction of the work you do and/or the organisation you do it for. Maybe this isn't the one that gives you what you want? Would you have accepted being spoken to like that at your other place of volunteering? Offer yourself where you feel you have something to offer and will get back what you need.

Just by way of a contrast, yesterday I did some voluntary which is based in a church.

I am not connected with the church. They run a cafe, in a very poor area. I was greeted with a smile and the church leader got me a coffee. I did my job and was invited to stay for lunch.Quite often the church member will bring it to me ( like table service). It is always delicious and home made. I ate my lunch and spent time having a heated and interesting conversation with somebody who uses the cafe.
After some time I thanked the cook and came home.

This seems to me for want of a better word " normal" behaviour.

LiltingLyrics How about this thread?
www.gransnet.com/forums/work_volunteering/1248930-Volunteering

Nobody should be spoken to in the way you were, volunteers are the salt of the earth. If I were you I would stick to your other job and give this lot the elbow. There are plenty of other volunteering opportunities out there.

I’m afraid I’m missing something here! She asked for one baked potato to be saved for later. Not a whole meal. What seems to be wrong with that? It would have taken 30 scones to put a potato on a plate.

SunnySusie I'm glad to read that you have spoken to the manager and matters are being resolved calmly and reasonably. If you do decide to leave, there are many and diverse volunteer opportunities out there that will enable to you to meet people which might be more suitable to your quiet and gentle nature. I wish you good luck with that.

Maybe we could have a thread about what kinds of voluntary work people do unless someone can link to one that already exists that we might revive.

It's a long way to travel to volunteer.

I can remember when the staff in the charity shop down the road walked out en masse ...
If a manager can't value their staff, paid or otherwise, they won't keep them.

Bold fail there. Sorry ?

Old batty, I thought so. She also told me that we have to put up with it. Well, this volunteer doesn’t ?. Neither should the op, if she doesn’t want to.

Jalima, it’s been a long time coming. That was the final straw, I think. If it was my paid job, I’d have left long ago.

I don't blame you Beloulou!

I think, with volunteering, that you need to enjoy what you are doing to a certain extent; it's no use dreading going in or feeling that people are being abrupt or just downright rude.

Perhaps it was just the heat getting to them, Sunnysusie - perhaps they'd had a busy, hot lunch-time in the kitchen and that seemed like a final straw.

It is a gentle kind activity - if people want volunteers they have to attract them and treat them well! They can be rude, demanding and lay down the law but they won't get volunteers who stay!

Wow Beloulou, that is rude. Its a weird old world volunteering.

Times are changing and its not the gentle, kind activity it once was.

Thanks sodapop....will do and am glad at least one person on here knows what I am trying to get across. Thank you x

Give it up Bluegal we are in a minority here.

I'm glad you had a chance to speak to the manager and it sounds as if she sees both sides. Hopefully the next week or so will be a bit calmer and it either improves or you find something that you enjoy more.

OMG...am losing the will to live with this one! Barmyoldbat... you say.....

" The poster didn't ask to eat there and then just asked for something to be kept for her to eat later, not unreasonable in my view as by the time she was allowed to eat most items on the menu would be gone"

WHAT? The items on the menu are NOT for staff to eat! The menu is NOT there for staff....Help me here guys cos I think I am going insane lol

Quite a few people seem to just wade in after the first post - it doesn't seem to occur to them that things move on in over 24hours!