A sales advisor at Ashberry Homes’ Bourne Springs development in Bourne is spending part of her working week volunteering with the town’s Don’t Lose Hope charity – a cause that is close to her heart.
The housebuilder has given Hollie Savine the first two hours of every Monday to work with the charity on North Street, which provides therapeutic and emotional support for a range of people in the local community.
Hollie, 31, is helping with the organisation’s Young Men’s Group, which supports young men aged from around 18 to 30 with additional learning needs. The group, which varies between three and six people, meets in the charity’s community garden and shed space to have a cuppa together, chat about their week, and play games.
And seeing them progress, make connections, or improve their social skills means the world to Hollie because she has a niece and nephew with similar needs, who are aged seven and eight.
Hollie said: “They are a bit younger, but it’s been nice to see the future they might have, and when some of the boys in the group say they have had a milestone in their life like getting a job, it’s nice to see.
“It’s about making a little difference in someone’s life and knowing you have impacted someone in a positive way, it brings me joy. And that’s how I would like somebody else to behave to my family.
“We play games and have a chat. It’s a social gathering, there are tea and coffee facilities and a games cupboard and nice places to sit. I absolutely love it – I love going there.”
Hollie, who lives in Whittlesey, has been working at Bourne Springs since September and volunteering at Don’t Lose Hope since February.
The charity’s work includes providing counselling for children and adults as well as craft workshops and meetings to give different groups of people a safe social space to get together and chat. It also runs a gift shop and a café to raise funds for its services.
Services are offered free for those receiving certain state benefits and at an affordable price to all others. Professional counselling is delivered by a team of qualified and experienced counsellors in the private counselling rooms at the charity’s premises.
Regular groups also include Brew and Banter for serving and former military personnel, and Grandaddy Day Care, as well as woodworking and gardening groups.
The charity’s services are in great demand and Hollie is impressed with the work they do. She said: “They just do such a lovely job and there are a lot of hardworking volunteers there and you can see how much hard work goes into what they do. There’s a long waiting list for the sessions and it highlights the need for it in the community. I’m very grateful Ashberry Homes has given me the opportunity to do this.”
Steve Smith, Sales Director for Ashberry Homes, said: “Hollie is making a real difference at the Don’t Lose Hope charity and we are proud of her commitment and enthusiasm for volunteering locally.
“This charity does essential work by helping people look after their mental health through counselling, and through connecting with others. Supporting charities such as this is exactly what our commitment to charitable work was meant to achieve.”
Ashberry Homes is part of the Bellway Group, which has made a commitment to supporting charities locally and nationally as part of its overarching Better with Bellway strategy, which aims to put people and the planet first. This includes making time available for employees to volunteer with good causes within their working hours.
Ashberry Homes is further supporting Don’t Lose Hope with plans to include £20 of items from the charity’s gift shop in welcome packs for customers who move into new homes at Bourne Springs.
