Louise and Donna from the Jennings team have recently teamed up with local charities to take a more hands on approach to support. We asked them to share their stories on what they’ve been doing, how their time has impacted them and encourage others to do the same…

Donna and SOFEA

Being a mum is the best part of my life. However, now that just one of my three boys is left at home, i found myself experiencing ’empty nest syndrome’. Thankfully Jennings are a comppany that continually asks “what’s next. what will fulfil you?”

I wanted to work with teenagers and from this was introduced to SOFEA, a charity working with young people to build their employability whilst providing nutritious food for those in need. The young people SOFEA work with have reached the end of their compulsory education without the attitudes and skills to prgress, often with difficulty accessing the support they need.

At my initial visit I was overwhelmed withthe support they provide. In April I spent a trial day in the warehouse with a team of youngsters each facing their own struggles. Wokring in partnership with FareShare, tehir team are responsible for large deliveries of food coming in and numerous orders going out, supplying 150 registered charities or not-for-profit organisations.

I’ve since started volunteering at SOFEA one day a month and am looking forward to supporting and building relationships with these young adults.

If you’d like more info on SOFEA and how you can get involved, please visit sofea.uk.com

Watch this space for part 2 where Louise tells us all about learning Makaton with Style Acre!