Say 'hello' to Holly 🙋‍♀️

Holly joined our after-school & holiday programme as a volunteer back in February, and it's been fantastic having her on our team!

She's our Craft Queen and encourages the children to explore their creativity with plenty of fun activities. We had a chat with Holly about her volunteering journey - read on to learn more:

How long have you been volunteering? 
I’ve had a number of occasional volunteering roles over the last 10 years. Over the past 12 months I’ve had more flexibility in my personal life, so it’s been a great pleasure to dedicate more time to regular commitments.

What do you love most about volunteering?
Generally - the opportunity to do something completely different from my day job. At SBFP - the kids! They are so much fun to hang out with and, as a mum of younger children, I love getting an insight into what I have to look forward to as they grow up. 

Why did you choose to volunteer at SBFP?
Lots of different reasons, but in particular I wanted to gain more experience of working with children and not-for-profit organisations, whilst also becoming more connected to my local community. 

What would you say to anyone interested in becoming a volunteer?
The team is really warm and welcoming, and the children and families are a lot of fun to work with. So much love and care goes into the activities at the centre, it feels like joining a family. 

And just for fun - if you had to eat one thing everyday for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Hot chocolate puddings with melty middles! 

We're always in need of volunteers, and we welcome anyone who wants to make a difference to disadvantaged families facing housing insecurity.  Share your time and skills today!

​Say 'hello' to Hattie 🙋‍♀️

Hattie joined us as a volunteer in June and has been leading a creative workshop with our parents - right now they're designing & decorating their own tote bags!

She's a super talented artist (Hello Hattie Arts) and always brings the sunshine with her whenever she comes to our centre.  We had a chat with Hattie about her volunteering journey - read on to learn more:

How long have you been volunteering?
I first started volunteering when I was 16 years old. I grew up in Dorset and volunteered for my local youth group.

What do you love most about volunteering?
I love the sense of community that I get from volunteering. I love meeting new people and sharing my skills with others.

Why did you choose to volunteer at SBFP?
I wanted to volunteer at SBFP as I love the ethos of the charity and it seemed like a really welcoming place to be.

What would you say to anyone interested in becoming a volunteer?
I would say 'Go for it!'. You get so much out of volunteering and it is lots of fun to find out about your local community.

And just for fun - if you had to eat one thing everyday for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta - best food ever!

​We're always in need of volunteers, and we welcome anyone who wants to make a difference to disadvantaged families facing housing insecurity.  Share your time and skills today!

​Since January, we've served over 1,150 free meals for our children & young people attending our after-school club.

The unfortunate reality of housing insecurity, is that it often goes hand-in-hand with food insecurity. The cost-of-living-crisis has pushed already struggling families further into financial distress, leaving many of them relying on food banks for support.

By providing free meals in all our provisions, we relieve some of the pressure on our parents - especially those who, despite living pay check to pay check, are not eligible for free school meals.

Please consider donating here - every penny given enables us to continue providing free food support to families and children in housing crisis.