Charity volunteers in Fordingbridge celebrated
Avon Valley Community Matters opened in March this year
More than 30 volunteers in Fordingbridge have been thanked by the Avon Valley Community Matters (AVCM) team.
The group were recognised at a meeting at The Ship Inn in Fordingbridge.
The volunteers in the charity shop help collect and sort through donations as well as rotate and price stock and most importantly, they care for customers who visit the shop.
The shop provides a safe, warm and welcoming space for the cold, lonely and bereaved as well as helping nurture young people with Special Educational Needs by offering retail experience.
But it’s not just the shop where the volunteers have been helping out. They’ve helped run the Jumble Sales at the Victoria Rooms, raising £1,200 since the charity opened in March 2023.
The charity’s Superstars volunteers have been providing entertainment and educational activities at the inclusive playgroup held at St Mary’s Church Hall in Fordingbridge, each term-time Friday morning.
And during school holidays, the team have been putting on free holiday activities, including an outreach programme with Picnics Together, which aims to entertain and feed local families.
This programme has fed more than 280 people, with another Picnics Together event on 26th October.
The volunteers have also been running two groups, a bi-monthly Friendship Group and a Miscarriage Support Group.
The charity is supported by members of the Avon Valley Shed team, who have mended fixtures and fittings in the charity shop as well as taking on other practical jobs to help staff and volunteers.