Change-Makers: Helping Hampers

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NCS Grad Katie found that during lockdown she had a lot more time on her hands, so she wanted to do something to help out her community...
 
“If I can volunteer my services, I will. If I can help others put a smile on their face and get them through this hardship, then obviously it makes me feel good as well!” says Katie, who teamed up with Preston North End Community and Education Trust (PNECET) and volunteered her time through their ‘Helping Hampers’ campaign.

 The campaign supports the most vulnerable people in the community of Preston by supplying hampers of essential food and provision. 
 
Katie heard about PNECET through her experience on NCS, and it just so happened her family followed them on Facebook. That’s where she saw the Helping Hampers scheme and wanted to get involved. 

And get involved she did! Katie spent time in the PNECET offices, helping make the hampers and packing them with food, toiletries and other engaging materials for the vulnerable members of our community.

And her hard work paid off, as she provided 70 vulnerable households with hampers to help them get through lockdown and this difficult period. Amazing!
 
But Katie doesn’t want to stop there. “It’s been great to help out and support the local community of Preston. I want to continue doing that and look forward to volunteering more in the community. I would encourage other young people my age to take up volunteering, it’s really rewarding and a good use of time” she says.

It’s not just Katie who feels the rewards. Christine, a Preston North End season ticket holder and recipient of a Helping Hamper praises the work that Katie and PNECET have been doing; “It’s absolutely wonderful, it’s a real surprise – I didn’t expect anything like this at all, but it’s really helpful and it’s lovely to think that the club are thinking about the supporters in these strange times. We obviously can’t go to matches or anything, so it’s really, really kind, I really appreciate it.”

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU ARE?

If you want to get involved in volunteering and social action but don’t know where to start, check out Keep Doing Good. Or, take a look at how Shannon supported her local supermarket. 

And if you’ve already taken part in a social action project that you’re proud of, let us know! Tell us all about it here.