How it all began…
Hampers for Heroes is a Community Interest Company (C.I.C). which is a not-for-profit social enterprise. We aim to engage communities to celebrate our everyday heroes and create support to address the mental health toll of the Covid pandemic.
Hampers began by sending care packages out to key workers and health care professionals in front-line roles, reaching unsung heroes at all levels and celebrating their contributions throughout the lockdown.
Helping Hands
During Lockdown 1.0 in March 2020, Director and Founder Victoria Hanson saw a social media post about nurse Rebecca Marie’s sore hands and arms due to constant Covid hand hygiene scrubbing when at work, then struggling to find hand cream on the supermarket shelves. This post inspired Victoria to gather hand cream donations from the local community including Body Shop At Home Consultants and Avon Representatives.
This gathering of community spirit prompted Victoria to found Hampers for Heroes alongside Yasmin Paulson.
The Directors
Victoria was joined by Sharon, Ali, Lisa and Stella. Together they each have a specific role within the company to drive the vision and direction for Hampers for Heroes.
Victoria Hanson – Founder
Sharon Deakin – Director of Finance
Ali Swift – Directors of Well Being
Lisa Garvey – Director of Community Engagement
Stella Round – Director of Volunteer Engagement
The Volunteers
We have had over 40 volunteers, including Duke of Edinburgh volunteer who have joined the Hampers for Heroes effort. Helping to create, pack and deliver the hampers, fundraise as well as run our pop-up shop in Solihull.
We are supported by donations through our website, as well as physical donations from the community. We have an Etsy shop as well as a pop-up shop where you can purchase our merchandise and help us to raise funds.
The Future
Together, Hampers for Heroes has reached over 60,000 unsung heroes, such as porters, security, cleaning, administrative staff, mortuary staff bereavement teams, care homes, remote nurses and carers, teachers, teaching assistants.
We now have an array of wonderful partnerships with supporters, companies and businesses.
Hampers for Heroes are now in a position to start funding free counselling through Take a Seat with the vision to roll out nationally in the future.
