A Bolton Wanderers legend has been offering a hand to a local charity in his spare time.
John McGinlay, known as ‘Super John McGinlay’ among the Wanderers faithful, is a Bolton Hospice volunteer.
The former Scottish international, who scored 118 goals in 245 games for The Whites, drives one of the hospice cars around their shops, distributes stock, posts eBay parcels and helps managers and volunteers at the shops to keep them running smoothly.
John said: "I do whatever's needed of me really! They're all lovely people, all the volunteers in the shops are really nice.
“It feels good to be a part of so I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who has a bit of time on their hands. You'll find it rewarding in lots of different ways.
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“It's nice to help people, and the hospice is such an important part of Bolton. It's important that it thrives."
Adrian Vickers, Head of Retail at Bolton Hospice, said: “There’s never been a better time to volunteer with the Bolton Hospice retail team as we develop our retail operations in 2023.
“We’re always looking for people to volunteer in our retail shops across Bolton but we’re also looking for people to volunteer in areas that you may not have thought of.
“Perhaps you can spare some time to drive one of our cars or vans. Maybe you’re experienced in maintenance and electrical testing, or perhaps you’d like to help out in our café, preparing parcels for our eBay store or in an admin role at head office?”
He added: “Our volunteers really are the lifeblood of the retail team at Bolton Hospice and we pride ourselves on our friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
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“Around a quarter of the revenue required to run Bolton Hospice comes from our shops, café and online area so volunteering really does make a difference.”
The ex-Wanderers ace has been seen around the town regularly in recent years, such as when he supported his former clubmate Lee Potter to launch his workwear business.
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A couple of summers ago, John also launched a new football club with the University of Bolton, alongside fellow Wanderers legend David Lee.
The club, entitled UoB Bolton Borough FC, compete in the Manchester League and aims to offer opportunities for players to continue studying in higher education levels whilst continuing to play football at a high standard.
You can apply online to become a volunteer with Bolton Hospice here: https://www.boltonhospice.org.uk/shop-volunteer-enquiry-form
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