To mark the recent Volunteers’ Week, The Trussell Trust took the opportunity to shine the spotlight on some of the most dedicated volunteers around the country. We were delighted at B30 Foodbank when our volunteer Joan was chosen.
One of our founding and most dedicated volunteers, Joan
has volunteered tirelessly as a pick and packer since 2013, bringing her organisational and caring skills to the fore. With 50 years’ experience as a nurse, nothing fazes her. Joan’s ‘can-do attitude’ is an inspiration, and she encourages all those who volunteer with her, telling anyone who asks that “the only person you should look down on, is the one you are helping up.”
When the pandemic struck, Irish-born Joan, who came to Birmingham as a young woman, was first in line to adapt our services and do whatever she could to help, taking on a new role at the warehouse while distribution services were reorganised.
As soon as Covid vaccination centres opened, Joan was ready to volunteer, often volunteering three days a week at a vaccination centre and two afternoons a week at the foodbank. When her vaccination centre offered a cash payment as a reward to their skilled volunteers, she and two others donated what they received to the foodbank.
In recent weeks Joan’s no-nonsense, warm communication style has come into its own on TikTok. In one day she tripled the new account’s followers and reached nearly 8000 people with a short video.
Joan is one of the most popular and well-known volunteers at the food bank and in 2022, when she turned 70, celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary and contracted Covid, her volunteering still came first.
Congratulations Joan, from all of your fellow volunteers!
