Last week was Volunteers’ Week, an annual UK-wide campaign held to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers across the country. We posted lots on our socials to celebrate our volunteers throughout the week, please have a look through Facebook or Instagram.

We are lucky to have 249 volunteers across Genesis Trust and Bath, Keynsham and Somer Valley Foodbank (Bath Foodbank has officially merged with Keynsham and Somer Valley Foodbanks as of 3 June). With a small staff team, we wouldn’t be able to deliver the work we do across the community without their support. We really appreciate all our volunteers who help us fulfil our mission to support homeless people and vulnerable families as they journey towards new beginnings and better futures.

To celebrate our volunteers, we’d like to share Janelle Hill’s volunteering story with you. She has been volunteering for Genesis Life Projects since 2019. We asked her a few questions about her experience volunteering.

How did you get involved and what is your volunteering role?

It began with a friendly request from my friend Hillary Long (Genesis Trust’s Community Manager). At first, I said ‘no’ as I was a little nervous to work with homeless people again. I had volunteered with a homeless charity in London years before.

Eventually I said ‘yes’ and began to help on Friday mornings making tea and coffee, toast with beans, tomatoes, and cheese for people. But really, I just help with what needs doing. I help handing out food parcels to people in need, folding towels, making guacamole and salsa for the crowds, and now I am a feature on the knitting and crossword table. I am happy lending a hand wherever it is needed.

What has your experience been like?

Starting with the breakfast service was an ideal way of getting to know the names of the clients and how they like their breakfast. Everyone is so unique, and I find that a friendly smile goes a long way. I love sitting with the knitters and ‘crossworders’ as they are a lovely group to get to know. We share a few stories and talk about all sorts of interesting things like food, art, travels, our pets, past events, puzzle clues, and knitting and crafting as well.

People open up about all sorts in Genesis’ safe space and we can easily signpost specific needs to the trained staff if needed. I have particularly enjoyed seeing the confidence gained by the clients just by doing a crossword puzzle. They start shy and, in time, a wonderful vocal confidence emerges. It makes me very proud.

Our colourful knitting blanket is the focus during the knitting group, and it’s laid over the table during every knitting session. Every client who walks in comments on how it gives such a warm glow to the space. Over the last few years, hundreds of small squares have been knitted and joined together by the knitting group to create this colourful blanket. It was a shared project and a challenge to overcome for many of the participants. And now it’s a beautiful feature to have pride in. We are very careful not to spill our coffee on it.

My Friday mornings at Genesis are very special. There have been times, over the years, when I too needed some support and needed to be amongst caring and compassionate people. They helped me through the tricky stages of life.

Sometimes life brings sadness or circumstances change that are hard to deal with. But a community of caring people, a warm ‘hello’, and just the knowledge that Friday is my special morning has really helped me along the way too. When things were quite tough for me, I would leave the Genesis centre with a ‘little tune in my mind’ (from one of the clients whistling) and it would sooth me greatly on my bus ride home. My Friday morning volunteering at Genesis helps me as well.

Thank you, Janelle, for the time you give to our clients at Genesis Trust!

Janelle’s story is just one of many volunteers who work tirelessly to support our clients. We are so grateful to all our volunteers at Genesis Life Projects and Foodbank. Because of your support, homeless and vulnerable people in our community are moving forward in their lives. Thank you for helping us have a real impact in local people’s lives.

If you’d like to read more about how you can support our work, please click here to see the many creative ways you can be involved.