Big hearts give helping hand to local community group

Hearts & Hands find a new home.

A local community group have started work on their new home after moving from premises on Beaconside, thanks to the generosity of Stafford businesses and kind hearted volunteers.

Hearts & Hands, which was set up in October 2020, have now moved in to the town centre, taking up residence at The Lord Nelson on Eastgate Street. The former public house called last orders some years back but traded as a restaurant before finally closing its doors in 2019. 

Hearts & Hands is a self funding community group which initially helped and assisted those working families, couples and individuals, who were finding themselves in financial hardship because of COVID and the lockdowns.

The organisation are now assisting people and providing free food hampers to people who are on zero contracts, reduced hours, full time and part time workers, along with self employed, blue light workers, retired, ex-service personal and serving armed forces.  

Despite some challenging times, the community-led group are now looking to the future and it's been 'all hands on deck' these last few days with dozens of volunteers helping with a 'big re-paint job' in the old pub.

Hearts & Hands Co-founder, Lorraine Conkey, said:

“We have been blown away in the last week by the support from Staffordians. Our volunteers have kindly helped to garish the pink, yellow and green walls. It's been non-stop since we got the keys."

The Stafford based community group have said that there has also been plenty of help support from local businesses including new neighbours - Carthy Accountants and Dust Demons.

Lorraine continued:

"We never thought our services would still be needed three years on because we are self funding and have to fundraise to cover our running costs.
We do this through events and relying on the kind donations of the general public who realise they are ultimately helping friends, neighbours and work colleagues.

"We work hand in hand with many other charities and community groups in the area as we all work towards relieving some of the hardships that people are facing in our communities."

Hearts & Hands are offering assistance to anyone in need of help. You can fill our the referral form on the website; 

If you need assistance please email or fill out the referral from on the website; www.heartshands.uk or you can email the team directly at; admin@heartshands.uk