Words by Cheyanne Bryan
Well loved actor, TV host and author, Ross Kemp visited Rickmansworth, to meet volunteers ahead of Thank You Day.
He was able to pour a cuppa and hear the stories of users and Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) volunteers that give their time at this local lunch club. Ross said to Smiley News: “A lot of people here maybe would miss out on a meal every day if it wasn’t for the ladies and the people that work here.”
“It’s about anyone who goes the extra mile for you in your community”, he continued.
The Royal Voluntary Service, is a British volunteering organisation supporting the NHS, made the visit all the more significant. One volunteer Sarah Bennett shares that her mother was also a volunteer for the RVS lunch club for 50 years and feels that she is carrying on a tradition, she said: “Thanks to her and thanks to everyone who has been doing it for many more years than I have.”
RVS worker Melissa Hassan highlights that the lunch clubs aim and help to reduce loneliness and isolation while promoting social inclusion. To this Ross Kemp comments: “It clearly changes people’s lives, and particularly as a lot of people grow older in our communities, I think they feel marginalised. They come here, you can just feel the spirit inside this place.”
Check out our video on Ross Kemp at Rickmansworth with the Royal Voluntary Service to hear more about Thank You Day and gratitude towards community contributors.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Food Cycle. This charity aims to reduce food waste and poverty whilst working with local communities and jointly combating loneliness. Learn more here.
The Trussell Trust. This is an NGO and charity aiming to end hunger and poverty by providing food to people experiencing emergency or crisis. Find out more here.
The Social Society. This organisation provides a convenient way to connect local charities actively seeking individuals possessing skills that want to give back. Find out more.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Sustainable Cities And Communities.
