June 2024

In this month's issue, we acknowledge the huge contribution of our volunteers, share some feedback from our recent volunteer survey and appeal for new volunteers to join our van team...

Supporting the team

Dear Dominique,

Whether it's the T20 cricket world cup, Euro 2024 football, Wimbledon or the upcoming Olympic Games (or indeed none of them!) that piques your interest, the importance of teamwork will be on display this summer. Even in the individual events, the role of the wider team, often providing support behind the scenes is paramount.

Similarly, Hope Nottingham relies on a huge team of people and organisations - many behind the scenes - working together to support local communities. Shown above is just some of our mighty Meadows Foodbank Team. But we also need you – our supporters – raising awareness, donating food, funds, and praying for us. It’s all essential. That’s why Working together is one of our core values and we are hugely grateful to have you as part of 'Team Hope'!

Thank you for your continued support.

"I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things."

Mother Teresa

The power of volunteering

The start of June marked the 40th Volunteers Week, an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the phenomenal contribution volunteers make to society. Here at Hope Nottingham with our 370 strong volunteer team, we are hugely aware of the power volunteers have to make a real difference in our communities and in the lives of individuals. Volunteering is something that is woven through the DNA of Hope Nottingham; without our volunteers, our network of foodbanks, our community hubs and our many activities just wouldn't exist.

The motivations for volunteering are many: wanting to meet new people or develop new skills, having time to fill or specific abilities to offer, being moved by personal faith or belief, wanting to contribute to the local community, wanting to help to bring about change, a desire to give something back - and many, many more. Whatever people's motivation, the impact of volunteering can be and often is, life changing - both for people being served and for the volunteer themselves. Volunteering provides an outlet for people's creativity, compassion, generosity and kindness to benefit others, but it also develops skills, confidence, relationships, wellbeing and a sense of purpose for the volunteer too.

We were delighted to welcome many of our wonderful volunteers from across the Hope Nottingham team to a thank you lunch during Volunteer Week. But we also want to publicly recognise and thank every single volunteer playing a part in the Hope Nottingham story. Whether packing food parcels, talking to guests, making tea, answering the phone, driving the van or any of the other myriad ways they are involved, Hope Nottingham's success is their success - and we are hugely and constantly grateful for each and every one of them.

Listening to our volunteers...

Valuing our volunteers also means listening to what they say about their experiences at Hope Nottingham, building on and celebrating all the positive aspects, as well as learning about things that we could improve. We recently conducted a volunteer survey to gather views across our volunteer team, as well as give a better insight into the fantastic people who choose to give up their time to inspire and grow communities of Hope across Nottingham.

We are committed to listening and responding to our fantastic volunteers so we can keep making improvements, better develop our communications and training, and address any problems. Once again we wish to thank everyone who gives up their time to volunteer with us - we really do appreciate you all so much.

Volunteers needed!

We are urgently looking for volunteers to join our Van Team (both as Van Drivers and Van Assistants) as well as an additional Leader and Cook for our Saturday Food Bank and Cafe session at Hope House in Beeston.

We are also still looking for enthusiastic gardening volunteers to be part of a new Friday morning growing team on our Beeston allotment. You can find out about all our current volunteering vacancies here.

Hope Community meals

We were really excited to trial our first Carlton Community Meal in June and look forward to seeing members of the local community join us each month.

Our community meals are a great chance to enjoy a delicious meal cooked by our wonderful volunteers and to get to know others in the community. Why not bring a friend?

We'd love to see you there! Let us know you are coming by calling on 0303 040 1110 or by email.

Final thoughts...

This month, our reflection comes from Louise, our Admin & Facilities Coordinator who reflects on supporting Hope Nottingham through its teenage years! You can read her reflection here.

Hope Nottingham | 0303 040 1110 | www.hope-nottingham.org.uk