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Lines open 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday01 Apr 2026
In March 2026, AKW Group Director of Human Resources, Helen Gascoyne-Davies, had the opportunity to spend a day volunteering at Stratford-Upon-Avon Foodbank, an experience that was eye opening, meaningful, and a powerful reminder of the vital role these services play in our communities.
What she witnessed throughout the day was not only the generosity of strangers, but also the dedication and organisation behind an operation that supports countless families during times of vulnerability. Helen’s account below, kindly written in her own words, details her experience volunteering at the foodbank.
The day began with a food drive at Waitrose, where three volunteers, including myself, stood at the entrance wearing foodbank branded bibs and handed out shopping lists of specifically requested items. We explained to shoppers that we were supporting the foodbank and why these items were being requested. These lists are thoughtfully curated by the foodbank to reflect the products urgently needed, ensuring that every donation can directly support the people who rely on the service.
Despite the ongoing cost of living crisis, shoppers were incredibly generous. Many returned to us with the requested items, demonstrating both empathy and a shared understanding of how difficult life has become for many households. A donation bucket was also available, and this too received steady contributions throughout the morning.
As donations came in, volunteers carefully packed items into crates, which were then transported to a waiting van. This is no small task, the crates are heavy and require considerable manual handling. Once at the foodbank, the real logistical work begins.
Each crate is weighed on arrival before every item is removed, checked and labelled. Volunteers write the expiry dates clearly on the top/front of each product, and from there, items are organised systematically on shelves, arranged in date order so that those with the earliest expiry dates can be used first.
It was fascinating to see how coordinated and precise this process is – nothing is left to chance, and every volunteer knows exactly how to maintain the system.
One of the highlights of the day for me was helping to pack food parcels. I was handed a list with specific items and exact quantities required for each parcel. While the contents varied, some of the items I handled included tinned ham, baked beans, tuna, pasta, breadsticks, biscuits, sandwich spread, squash and hot chocolate.
The foodbank complements these non perishable items with fresh food ordered separately from supermarkets, ensuring families receive a balanced and supportive package of essentials. With the Easter holidays approaching, the demand for parcels is increasing. Families with food vouchers – assessed on their individual circumstances – will soon receive these carefully packed parcels, each one representing a lifeline during a period of need.
Throughout the day, I had the chance to speak with several of the volunteers; their commitment, compassion, and sense of community were inspiring. The foodbank relies on approximately 150 volunteers working at different times, each playing a crucial role in sorting, packing, delivering and supporting the overall operation. Without them, this service simply would not be able to function.
The importance of donations was highlighted again when a small group of pupils from a local school arrived to give items they had collected through their own fundraising efforts. Their contribution was gratefully received and served as another reminder that support can come from anywhere, including the youngest members of our community.
While the donations on the day were strong, the foodbank still faces regular shortages. Recently, the items most needed include tinned meats in gravy, tinned vegetables, rice pudding and custard. These staples are essential for creating balanced food parcels and the foodbank welcomes any ongoing support to help fill these gaps.
Volunteering gave me invaluable insight into how quickly circumstances can change for individuals and families. Loss of employment, bereavement, ill health, any of these can force people who never imagined needing assistance to seek support from a foodbank. My day spent volunteering made that reality very clear.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and left with a deep appreciation for the volunteers who make this service possible. Their warmth, dedication and teamwork were inspiring, and I feel strongly that we, as an organisation, must continue to support our local foodbanks and the communities they serve.
Helen spent six hours volunteering with the foodbank team, for which she was paid as usual, like any other typical working day, without the need to take annual leave or use her spare time at the weekend to give back to a cause in her local community.
She was able to do this thanks to the AKW Helping Hands Volunteering Scheme which was launched in 2022 and encourages colleagues across the AKW Group to volunteer at least once a year as part of their employment.
300 paid volunteering days are available annually, which enable colleagues to get involved with a variety of community focused projects.
While supporting the Stratford-Upon-Avon Foodbank, Helen helped to weigh, date and store 29 crates of food and household provisions – enough to feed 47 people!
She also helped bring in 527.23kg of food and £88 worth of cash donations from the supermarket, and made up 5 lunch hampers which will help to feed 20 children during the Easter holidays. A huge well done to Helen, thank you for your efforts!
Learn more about our latest volunteering and social value projects here.
