BLOG: New Beginnings Reading Celebrates Volunteers Week

If you follow us on social media, you’ve probably heard that this week was Volunteers’ Week. Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contributions millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. You can find out more about it via the Volunteers’ Week website.

We’re so grateful for the amazing volunteers who help New Beginnings Reading support the community. All week long, we spotlighted seven of the many wonderful volunteers who regularly volunteer with us.

Juliet was one of the first volunteers to join us at the Community Fridge & Cafe and as a Costco driver in December 2018. No job has been too small or too big for Juliet. She is a hard worker and gets on with the job in hand. In January 2020, she accepted the position as Team Leader at the Community Fridge & Cafe. More recently, Juliet has also taken on the role of Assistant to the Treasurer, and has been a great help.

Lynda has volunteered at the Community Fridge & Cafe and as a Costco driver since February 2019. In January 2020, she accepted the position as Team Leader at the Community Fridge & Cafe, and more recently she has also taken on the role of Clothes Donations Coordinator, no mean feat! Lynda has worked faithfully and energetically since she joined us and is a star volunteer.

James is our All Night Cafe team leader. He is constantly signing up for shifts, often doing the evening shift and coming back in the morning for the breakfast shift.

Kellie has been volunteering for The Way Ministry and NBR for nearly 5 years. She came to help on Christmas in 2015 and has been with us since. She has been consistent volunteering at TWM on Sundays and helped so many of the volunteers clean up days before the Queens Arms opened. Kellie also volunteered at the All Night Cafe and has encouraged and inspired so many people to give and help. Kellie also helps with fundraising. She is loved by the guests and volunteers alike

Barbara has faithfully volunteered at the After School Cafe for a year and a half. She is always so cheerful and willing to muck in. She is great with the children and leads the play activities.

Sheila is proof that helping others has no age limit! She is our oldest volunteer at 82, but she still volunteers every week at the After School Cafe, faithfully cooking and serving the meals.

Joe is one of our All Night Cafe night team volunteers. He must have done an overnight shift almost every weekend we’ve opened the All Night Cafe.

Thank you to all of those who sacrifice your time and money to volunteer and donate at New Beginnings Reading.

Speaking of donations, we had quite a few donations throughout the week. Fink Street Food continued their weekly meal donations with more delicious meals. Thank you to Costco, Nvidia, Cobbs Farm Shop, and Jennings Butchers for their weekly donations as well.