Volunteers have been key in supporting the #BrumTogether befriending service and food distribution by helping pack, prepare and deliver food and other essential supplies across Birmingham.
To celebrate their hard work, we’ve created a series of ‘Meet the Volunteer’ profiles so that you can hear all about their experiences, learn why they got involved and what they’ve been up to.
Today we have Rachael Tratt, who has been supporting #BrumTogether by packing and delivering food parcels. She has also been organising Active Street Share collections of food with friends.
Q. How did you hear about #BrumTogether and what made you want to volunteer?
I heard about BrumTogether through the Selly Park South Community Response to Covid-19 Facebook group. I’m currently on furlough and have many friends who are nurses working on the frontline, so I wanted to do my bit to support others.
Q. Tell us about what you have been doing while volunteering. What have you enjoyed most about the experience?
Initially, I signed up to help with packing and delivering supplies. I have been linking in with Chris Hasler and the Selly Park South group who distribute food supplies in Selly Park and the surrounding area. Chris’ team of volunteers now collect and deliver enough to feed over 180 people each week. They have 6 volunteer drivers, 2 people who deliver food on foot and one person who travels by tricycle.
I have also been working with Katie, the Active Streets Lead from TAWS, on Active Streets Share to set up a local box collection scheme to help restock the BrumTogether food supplies. I’ve made and given out 16 boxes to my friends and their friends around Birmingham, which are put out on local streets every Thursday evening 6-8pm for residents to donate food. We have been able to involve people who live in flats and those who can’t travel to donate supplies. The scheme has been a huge success – we had a car boot full of donations in the first week!
Q. What motivates you to stay involved?
Hearing about how many people BrumTogether have helped and seeing the impact of what I’m doing keeps me going.
It’s amazing to see how a little bit of help, with things like street donations, supports big collective actions. Sometimes people don’t realise that it can just take small efforts such as putting a box outside your house to have a really positive impact.
It’s only through working with Katie that I have had the confidence to organise my collection box scheme and I am hoping to use this going forwards to do further good and keep up community spirit in my street.
During Volunteers Week, we want to say a massive thank you to all of the volunteers for their hard work and support. If you would like to show your appreciation for volunteers, you can share a picture of your #WaveForVolunteers to say thank you and show that volunteers are #NeverMoreNeeded.
If you are interested in volunteering, visit www.theaws.co.uk/support to find out more.
