Post | June 2024 | 2 min read

Nourishing communities: Kate's story

Written by

Kerry Wills

Photograph of Kate packing bags of food.

Having recently retired and moved to the local area, Kate was looking for a way to do something useful with her time and meet new people.

So, she decided to volunteer with the West Somerset Food Cupboard, a charity which runs an affordable membership scheme and offers crucial support to those in crisis. Here, she explains what the role entails and the impact it has on her and the local community.

"My volunteering involves sorting food once a fortnight, organising donations into different types of food and then making up bags of emergency supplies for local families.

"The bags of food are the foundation of what the Food Cupboard provides, and we work with a range of local agencies such as Crisis, refuges and schools to distribute them to people experiencing food poverty.

I particularly like how the Food Cupboard tries to make their service as nice as possible for recipients. We don't make people come and collect donations themselves as it can make them feel uncomfortable, and we try to include special treats at Christmas and Easter.

"It's a fabulous thing to be part of. It's fun to do, we're a great team and it’s good to know that what you're doing is having a direct impact on people's lives.

"There are lots of other opportunities in town and Minehead really benefits from the amount of volunteering that people do. The library, Home Start, the railway, the lifeboat - all of these local services depend on volunteers.

"I think volunteering is good for your overall health and well-being. It makes you feel like you can make a difference and has allowed me to continue to have an outlet for some of my core values."

Ali Sanderson, manager at the West Somerset Food Cupboard, said:

"Kate’s contribution to the West Somerset Food Cupboard has a significant impact. Like many of our volunteers, she brings a wealth of skills and experience to the team, and often makes practical suggestions about how we can work together to improve the service.

"More importantly, she has a kind and generous heart which is evident in her attitude to our beneficiaries and her fellow team members. There is no judgment from her and makes everyone feel valued which has a real impact.

"Reliable volunteers like Kate are the lifeblood of small community-based projects like ours, and we simply couldn’t do what we do without the time and goodwill that they willingly share."

If Kate's story has inspired you to volunteer with the West Somerset Food cupboard, visit their website to find out how.

For more rewarding opportunities to volunteer in Somerset, please click the link below.

I want to volunteer

Megan's Story

Guest blogger, Megan Cave, shares her volunteering story

Celebrating Somerset's Vital Volunteers

Spark Somerset have produced a special video to say a big 'thank you' to volunteers across Somerset. Spark Somerset have been working to support the volunteering response to the pandemic over past few months, and have been inspired by the huge number of people who have stepped up to support their communities over the past few months. More than 1,300 Somerset residents have registered on Corona Helpers , our partner website that matches people with voluntary activity in their area, with many more volunteering informally to help friends, family and neighbours. With help from members of the local community, and volunteers like you, Spark Somerset made this special video which gives a snapshot of some of the amazing work that has taken place. Want to get involved? Visit our Discover page.

Getting the most out of volunteering

You’re donating your valuable time, you want to get the most out of it, so it’s important that you enjoy and benefit from your volunteering. To make sure that your volunteer position is a good fit: What causes do you care about? You will get the most out of volunteering if you're doing something towards a cause you care about and know that you're having an impact. Think about what interests or excites you. This could be something you enjoyed doing before, or something completely new. Think about what time or skills you can give. With so many opportunities to choose from, it's a great idea to narrow down the choices by deciding what you're willing to give. Get researching! Ask questions. You want to make sure that the experience is right for your goals, your skills, and the time you want to spend. Sample questions for your volunteer coordinator might address your time commitment, if there’s any training involved, who you will be working with, and what to do if you have questions during your experience. Make sure you know what’s expected. You should be comfortable with the organisation and understand the time and travel commitment. Consider starting small so that you don’t over commit yourself at first. Give yourself some flexibility to change your focus if needed. Don’t be afraid to make a change. Don’t force yourself into a bad fit or feel compelled to stick with a volunteer role you dislike. Talk to the organisation about changing your focus or look for a different organisation that’s a better fit. Enjoy yourself . The best volunteer experiences benefit both the volunteer and the organisation. If you’re not enjoying yourself, ask yourself why. Is it the tasks you’re performing? The people you’re working with? Or are you uncomfortable simply because the situation is new and unfamiliar? Pinpointing what’s bothering you can help you decide what to do next.