His passion for volunteering traces back to his school days, but it wasn’t until Martin discovered Foodbank that he found a true sense of belonging. “Foodbank has become more than just a place to give back,” he shared. “It’s a community I love.”

When asked about what keeps him coming back each week, Martin simply states, “It’s the feeling of doing something nice once a week for other people and making it a part of your weekly routine.” By incorporating volunteering into his regular schedule, he experiences the personal fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact in the lives of others.

Customer interaction and building relationships with regulars are aspects of volunteering that Martin particularly treasures. Through genuine conversations and moments of connection, he witnesses firsthand the positive impact a single person can have on the lives of others.

Martin enthusiastically encourages others considering volunteering at Foodbank, saying, “It’s the sense of community. The staff are wonderful, and everyone is friendly.” He believes that Foodbank offers a unique opportunity to break away from the everyday routine and engage in something truly meaningful.

Martin’s commitment and selflessness serve as an inspiration to us all. Through his genuine care and dedication, he infuses our warehouse with a strong sense of community and compassion, creating a ripple effect of positivity in the lives of those he serves. As Martin wisely puts it, “Taking time out to help others matters.” We are incredibly grateful to have Martin as a shining example of the incredible impact one person can make.

Day one for her was one of the last shopping days ahead of Christmas. It was a day of revolving queues of new and existing customers all needing assistance before they could go shopping.

Luckily, the festive season shopping panic didn’t deter her and some training in the New Year gave her the basic policy and procedures knowledge to keep her with us. Now Ollie is supported by the regular staff to learn and gain confidence every day.

Ollie has quickly become very valued in the office, fast becoming an all-rounder. Sometimes on frontdesk duty processing customer queries and registrations, other times you can find her tucked away in a corner, focused on the one job of motoring through Mobile Foodbank customer registrations.

For Ollie, her experience volunteering has been a very positive one. “Great! Love it! From the minute I arrived I felt welcomed and included. It makes me feel good to share the workload, do the mundane jobs to allow staff to catch up on other projects. I am often out loud appreciated and showered with praise.”

She loves that it’s an opportunity to learn something new or regain an old skill, make new friends, and be a cog in a bigger wheel in order to make things happen.

Since Ollie joined us six months ago, she has seen an increase in customer numbers, commenting that Thursday in particular feels like the peak Christmas period. She adds that we see such a broader spectrum of the community.

Ollie sees Foodbank supporting a really diverse customer base currently and expects this to continue for a few years yet. And now that she’s joined us as a member of staff, Ollie will continue to be there for those doing it tough for a while yet. We’re thankful to Ollie for all of her support as a volunteer and now as a member of staff.

We are so grateful to our volunteers for how they bring so much positivity, passion and heart to everything that they do.