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What's happening at Hope Nottingham?
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October 2025
In this issue we are looking for help with our Tesco Winter collections, celebrating another successful community meal in Carlton, and looking ahead to Christmas...
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The arrival of autumn
Dear Supporter,
As the clocks go back and the evenings get darker, there's a definite feeling that winter is on its way. The colours of the falling leaves make Autumn a beautiful season; but for many it can be a sign of challenging times ahead: higher heating bills, the expense of Christmas, and less opportunity to get outdoors or spend time connecting with others.
With your support, the work we do at Hope Nottingham, through our food banks, friendship projects and community activities, ensures people in our communities experience the light of real hope in their lives, even in the very darkest months.
Winter is also looking challenging for us as an organisation, with increased running costs to ensure our warm spaces, and an unexpected floor renovation bill at Hope House in excess of £20,000. We are making every effort to secure these funds and with your help, aim to get our flagship community café back open as soon as possible.
Thank you for your continued support as we look to bring Hope to those in need across Nottingham.
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"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
Albert Camus
| | Can you help with our Tesco Winter Collections? | | |
Each year Tesco partners with Trussell to hold a winter collection in Tesco Supermarkets across the UK.
This is a great chance not only to get our food banks stocked up before the always-busy winter season, but also to raise awareness amongst the public about the work we do.
This year the collections will be held in-stores on Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th November. As well as encouraging people to donate food in Tesco stores, we also require volunteers in-store to greet customers, hand out shopping lists, receive donations and thank shoppers.
We currently need volunteers who can help for 2-hour slots on Thursday 27th, Friday 28th or Saturday 29th November at Beeston, Toton and Carlton Tesco Extra stores. If you or perhaps a group of your friends or work colleagues are able to spare a couple of hours to help out, we'd love to hear from you! Please email us or give us call on 0303 040 1110.
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Looking ahead to Christmas...
Is it too early to mention Christmas?! The clocks have only just changed and there are still leaves on the trees (just!) but our food banks are already gearing up for a really busy time of year. As we move nearer to the festive season, here are a few ways you can help us:
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Plan early...
We know lots of people love to donate Christmassy food items to our food banks. However, it takes time to get these sorted, dated, distributed to our food banks and given to those needing emergency food support. In order to ensure that we can get all the mince pies, Christmas puddings and other festive goodies to people before Christmas, we need these by the end of the first week of December.
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Consider a new year donation...
Are you thinking of holding a general food collection in December? Or perhaps trying a reverse advent calendar? (You can download resources from our website here) If so, why not donate your collection in the new year instead? The period immediately before Christmas gets very hectic whilst January tends to be a month where donations to our food banks are low and much needed.
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Give financially instead...
It's not only food donations that we need. Financial donations allow us to meet our day-to-day running costs including staffing, funding professional advice provision, running our community activities, paying our utility bills, purchasing specialist food stocks and keeping our van on the road. Donate online here or find out more about ways to give on our website.
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Buy one of our virtual 'Gifts of Hope'...
Looking for inspiration for Christmas gifts? Why not buy your loved one one of our 'Gifts of Hope'? Our virtual gifts are available in different amounts and include a downloadable gift certificate to send to the recipient. All our Gifts of Hope help support the work of Hope Nottingham in communities across our city. You can find out more and purchase gifts on our website here.
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Sneinton food bank back home!
When our Sneinton Food Bank was in need of a new venue at short notice in August, we were so grateful to The Renewal Trust who stepped in to help.
They offered us the Pavilion, King Edwards Park which is run by the Friends of King Edwards Park - only a short distance from our usual location. Big thanks to Pete and Terry for making us welcome and Nic, Cherry and all at Renewal Trust for your support to make this happen. It was such a good venue for us for 3 months and allowed us to continue to support local residents.
We managed to move home to the Salvation Army again last week but made some great new community connections that will last a lifetime!
Our Sneinton food bank is now back in its regular home at the Salvation Army's William Booth Memorial Complex each Thursday 10am - 12 noon.
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Raising awareness (and donations) for Meadows food bank
The team at Meadows food bank held an awareness and collection day at their local Sainsbury's store on Saturday 11th October.
Talking to and engaging with shoppers resulted in enough food donations to cover 3 weeks of sessions at the Meadows food bank at Bridgeway Hall - roughly 10 times the usual weekly amount collected from the Sainsbury's store!
A huge thank you to all the Sainsbury's customers who generously donated and to the dedicated volunteer team at the Meadows for giving up their time to talk to shoppers, as well as collect and sort the donations.
| | We love holding our monthly 'pay-what-you-can' community meals and whilst the Beeston meal has had to take an enforced break whilst having our main hall floor repaired at Hope House, the volunteers at our Carlton Community Hub have been continuing to welcome the local community for friendship, fellowship and food. | | |
"I brought two friends with me. They have looked forward to it all week".
Carlton Community Meal Guest
| | | | | Run by groups of volunteers at both our hubs who have a real heart for serving local people, our community meals are about much more than the food - fantastic though it is! Sharing food together allows our guests to enjoy each other's company, meet new people and feel connected to others in their community. | |
"Some people here tonight may not have spoken to someone all day".
Carlton Community Meal Guest
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We know this community connection is hugely important in a society when sadly many people feel increasingly lonely and isolated.
Our next Carlton Community Meal will be on Monday 24th November at 6pm at Carlton Community Hub. Pre-booking is required.
| | | We are hoping to relaunch our Beeston Community Meal once floor repairs are complete, with a Christmas event in December - watch this space! | |
"Events like this are even more important in the winter months when it's dark and cold".
Carlton Community Meal Guest
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Fundraising concert
It's less than a month until our friends at the very talented Carlton Male Voice Choir hold their winter concert "You Do Not Walk Alone" in support of Hope Nottingham.
It promises to be an excellent afternoon of live music at The Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton - and all in a good cause!
Tickets are available to buy online here or scan the QR code on the poster.
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Join our volunteer and trustee team...
We couldn't do the work we do without the dedicated effort of hundreds of volunteers. We are currently in need of:
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Additional 'Trustees' to ensure 'Good Governance'
Whilst experienced trustees are great, you may also be looking for your first trustee role to build on your career development.
Our Board of Trustees meet around 6-9 times a year in the evening and we would particularly like to hear from those with financial acumen, senior HR experience, marketing, fundraising or other relevent skills, but also from individuals who have lived experience of poverty or social isolation to help inform our work. Find out more here
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Phone and Office Volunteers
Hope House Beeston - Mon, Wed or Fri mornings
We are looking for confident and helpful volunteers who are clear and friendly communicators, able to follow clear guidance to signpost enquiries on both the phone and in response to email enquiries. In addition you will be help keep our foodbank referral system up to date by contacting organisations to check data.
Full training will be provided.
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Art and Craft Volunteers
Carlton Community Hub
We are looking for friendly, outgoing volunteers who can help support our Monday afternoon Carlton Art group. You need to be confident, self assured and be able to welcome and assist guests - some of whom may be lacking in confidence or having additional support needs. People skills are more important than art skills for this role, although a general interest in craft or art is desirable.
You should be willing to undertake a DBS check for this role.
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To enquire about any of our volunteer vacancies, please email us.
Our volunteer vacancies change regularly so for further details of these and other current vacancies, please do see our Volunteering webpage.
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Final thoughts...
This months reflection comes from our Chaplain, Lauren, who reflects on our value of Working Together. You can read her short reflection here.
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Thank you
We love hearing from you and meeting our supporters - please do call in for a chat or tour of Hope House or Carlton Community Hub or visit our website for more ways to get involved with our work. You can also follow us on Facebook here.
Every blessing,
From the Hope Nottingham team
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