https://www.theharpendentrust.org.uk/

The Harpenden Trust, Harpenden Trust Centre 90 Southdown Road, Harpenden (2026)

08/06/2026

⭐️ As Volunteers’ Week draws to a close, we would like to thank all of our volunteers who shared their experiences. You are great! ⭐️

Have you been inspired by our Harpenden Trust volunteers? Would you like to get involved? If so, it’s very easy to take the plunge. We’ve compiled a list of the most common questions that our new volunteers have asked…

Q: How do I join the Harpenden Trust as a volunteer?
A: The best thing to do is to drop an email to [email protected]. Just let us know
your contact details and that you are thinking of volunteering. 📧

Q: What kind of volunteers do you need?
A: All sorts! We have a large number of different roles to suit a range of skills and talents. We’ll talk to you about what you would like to do and how you can join the Harpenden Trust community. 👏

Q: Do I need any kind of qualifications?
A: No. Just willingness and compassion and a desire to help. 🥰

Q: How much time do I need to commit?
A: It depends really! Some people do a couple of hours every month, others do far more. It’s completely up to you. ⏰

Q: Is it all year round?
A: No, not at all. We have some roles that are seasonal, and some that are just for a short period
of time. ☀️❄️

Q: Is there an age limit
A: Our youngest volunteers tend to be in Lower Sixth Form or just starting college. There is no upper age limit! 👴

So, if you are looking for a great way to help the community, meet new people, and do something
amazing, please get in touch! 💜💜💜

07/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer Focus: The Well Bean Café ⭐️

We round off our celebration of Volunteers’ Week with the team at the Haprenden Trust’s very own Well Bean Cafe! ☕️☕️☕️

One of the best things about the Well Bean Café is the group of enthusiastic volunteers who man
the coffee machine and make sure the handmade cakes are always available. 🍰

The Well Bean Café really is at the heart of the Harpenden Trust. It is located upstairs in the
Harpenden Trust Centre at 130 Southdown Road and operates from 10.30am - 12.30pm on weekdays. It is open to all and is a popular meeting place for volunteers, members of the Harpenden Trust Activities Club, and anyone who is looking for a really good cup of coffee. All the proceeds from donations to the Café go directly to support the Trust. ☕️✔️

“I reckon it’s the best coffee in Southdown,” says Rosemary Fenton, a volunteer at the Café, “and
I’ve tried all the others!” 💜

A typical volunteer shift at the Café is generally three to four hours long, including set-up and closing time and there tends to be two or three volunteers present at all times. And volunteering times can be flexible, as Rosemary explains. “People can volunteer for as much or as little as they want. The team understands that there may be times that you cannot commit to a lot of shifts, and other times you can. There is no pressure.” 🥰

The Café volunteers who have worked there regularly find great relationships forming both within the Team, and with the customers. “It is really nice when you see customers coming through the door,” says Fleur Phillips, another of the Café volunteers. “You get to know them and know what their order will be. And it’s lovely to be able to have a chat and a catch up.” 😍

A recurring topic amongst the volunteers is how much they enjoy their time at the Café: “I really
look forward to my shifts,” says Fleur. “I love chatting to the regulars and new customers. And making the coffee is really fun; I have not perfected the leaf on the top of the cappuccino yet, but it’s getting pretty good!” 💜⭐️

“It is very satisfying work,” agrees Rosemary. “You get a lot out of it.” There is also a lot of camaraderie among the volunteers. April is a relatively new volunteer at the Café but has found a very warm welcome. “As a newcomer, my English is still a work in progress,” she says. “Finding the right words to express myself can be a bit challenging. ✔️

Fortunately, volunteers and customers here are very kind, they always take the time to explain things and guide me, I am deeply grateful for their kindness.” And the Café can have a real buzz to it. “You can sometimes predict when it is going to be busy,” explains Fleur. “There is a ‘Men’s Morning’ on the last two Fridays of the month in the next door room, and the participants come to the Café after that. The other two Fridays tend to be more for the women. I’m not going to say who is louder!”

The Café is also a crucial meeting place for other volunteers. It’s not unusual to see groups of Harpenden Trust Befrienders, admin volunteers, or Activities Club Helpers catching up over tea and cake. 🍰🥰
So, what would the Team say to anyone who is considering volunteering? April, the newest
volunteer sums it up perfectly. She says; “There is a Chinese saying: ‘Helping others is helping yourself’ 💫

Joining the Harpenden Trust not only allows you to serve the community, but it also gives you the chance to meet new people and lead a more meaningful life. Don't hesitate!”

Thank you The Well Bean Café team ⭐️

06/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer Focus: Peter Tonathy ⭐️

It’s ‘Eye’s Down!’ for Bingo with the Harpenden Trust with today’s celebration of Volunteers’
Week! 🎟️

‘Bingo Pete’ is a popular figure with clients of the Harpenden Trust’s Activities Club. “We run the
Bingo once a month at the Lea Springs Extra Care Scheme,” says Peter Tonathy, a volunteer with the Trust. “It’s great fun and a great way for people to meet up and socialise.” 💜

The Bingo sessions started out as something just for Lea Springs residents with support from the Harpenden Trust, but it has now expanded and is open to all members of the Activities Club. 🤝

“We have people coming in the minibus and some making their own way there,” says Peter. “We have people who come with their Harpenden Trust Befrienders, and those who just walk from their rooms, it’s a real mix.” 🚐

Peter stresses that he is keen to make the game as straightforward and fun as possible. He says, “I always explain the rules each time and we just play a basic version where players just have to mark off all the numbers, not anything complicated like getting particular rows.” ✔️

He also explains that the Trust is keen to ensure that the session is accessible to all “Sometimes
Harpenden Trust Befrienders are there helping or just chatting to their Befriendee, or the Courier from the minibus is also there to help out if someone is struggling with their sight or hearing.” The Bingo session is also supported by a Host, and there is someone at the Harpenden Trust who helps with all the admin.

Each session lasts about an hour and there are four games and of course prizes. “I do all the Bingo calls,” smiles Peter. “We’ve even adapted some of them to reflect members of our group which everyone can have a laugh about.” 🎁

Being a Bingo caller is a far cry from Peter’s previous job as a HR Director, but it’s obvious that he’s discovered a bit of a talent. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the players, and I feel that I am helping and supporting the community.” 🥰

And volunteering with the Harpenden Trust has its benefits, as Peter explains; “The beauty of the Trust is that it is so well organised. There is something for everyone and you can get involved as little or as much as you want.”

Thank you Bingo Pete! ⭐️

05/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer Focus: Rich Pinder ⭐️

Today we are focusing on Rich Pinder , a volunteer who plays a key role in the Harpenden Trust’s partnership with Frazzled UK. 💜

Encouraging wellbeing is one of the central aims of the Harpenden Trust, and supporting good
mental health in the community is a key element of this. The Trust works in partnership with
Frazzled, a charity set up by the comedian and writer Ruby Wax, to help support those who would benefit from a space where anyone can come and be listened to, or simply listen, without judgment or solutions. 😍

Rich Pinder has been volunteering as a facilitator at the Frazzled sessions at the Harpenden Trust for over a year. “This is not group therapy,” he explains. “It is a safe place for people to come and talk about their worries and their frazzled lives, hence the name.”

Each session is run by a Host and a Facilitator. “The Host makes people welcome,” says Rich.
“They get them tea or coffee and settle them ready to start. The Facilitator is there to make sure the meeting runs smoothly. They do not offer advice; they make sure that everyone who wants to be heard is heard, and everyone feels supported.” ✔️

Each session begins and ends with a short period of meditation. “At the beginning it means that everyone is settled in and prepared to talk,” says Rich. “And the end it makes sure that the
participants have processed everything and can go out feeling calm.”

The session itself allows people to talk about their feelings openly. Rich says he can see the positive effects that Frazzled has had. “We’ve had some clear evidence about how it’s completely turned someone’s life around,” he adds. “However, there are people that we can’t tell that it is helping.

But they keep coming back, so we hope that they are getting something from it.”

He is keen for others in the community to benefit from what Frazzled can offer, “We would like
more people to attend. We see people who have gained in confidence and where it has made a
real difference, and we want to expand that.”
Volunteers like Rich are key to the success of Frazzled, and the Harpenden community benefits greatly from their involvement, “The majority of Frazzled sessions are online,” says Rich. “And the Harpenden Trust group is one of only three sessions that run in-person.”

Rich did not start volunteering at the Harpenden Trust with a view to becoming a Frazzled
Facilitator. “It was fortuitous that the Frazzled role came about,” he says. “I had some discussions at the Trust and was pointed in that direction.” Rich then went through a period of assessment and training to make sure he was the right fit and that ready to take on the role.

It is a strength of the Harpenden Trust that volunteers can be matched to roles that suit their talents and interests. “I have been in tech sales and leadership in my professional life,” he explains. 👏

“In these management roles I’ve been involved in coaching and mentoring. If I had a choice of
looking at a spreadsheet or looking after a whole bunch of people, I would prefer to look after the people.”
Being a volunteer for Frazzled has obviously had a profound effect on Rich, “I am in my late fifties
and I have been asking myself, ‘What’s my purpose?’” he explains. The answer is simple and powerful; “I wanted to give back, not just to my family, or a company. I wanted to give back to my community.”

With Frazzled he certainly does that.
For more information, please go to https://www.frazzledcafe.org/harpenden.html

Thank you Rich ⭐️

04/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer Focus: Christine ⭐️

Things take an artistic turn for our next volunteer as we are delighted to introduce Christine!
Christine has a lifelong passion for how creativity can help benefit individuals and the community. 🎨

After a career as an art and textiles teacher she now combines supply teaching with volunteering
roles at the Harpenden Trust. “I’ve always loved how art can really help people,” she says. “The art room can be a sanctuary and really help individuals express themselves.” 🖼️

The Harpenden Trust runs a number of art-based sessions under its Activities Club and Christine’s main focus is a group named Collaborate Crafts which sprang from the success of another group. “I initially helped with Arts on Prescription,” explains Christine.

“That is a group that runs for nine weeks, and the two-hour sessions are led by an artist and support worker with help from volunteers. ” 💜

Arts on Prescription particularly suits those dealing with stress, anxiety, depression and other conditions affecting mental wellbeing, as well as those recovering from illness and injury. “I had completed a course at the University of Hertfordshire in Art Therapies and Wellbeing and I had been involved in a pastoral role in my teaching career, so it was a good fit,” explains Christine. “I really enjoyed working will all the participants and loved seeing what they got out of it.” 🥰

It became apparent though that there was a need for more creative groups on those lines. “People can access two courses of Arts on Prescription so there was a need for something to follow on from that,” says Christine. “So we set up Collaborative Crafts. It’s a very warm and friendly group that explores lots of different arts and crafts.” 😍

Collaborative Crafts meets in the Harpenden Trust Centre at 130 Southdown Road. “We’re in a nice meeting room; it’s not too big. And we sit at a circular table, all working away.” The group meets on a Thursday and takes on a broad range of arts and crafts.

It is obvious that Christine plays a key role in the use of arts to aid wellbeing at the Trust. Indeed, it’s not unusual for the group to be known as ‘Christine’s Collaborative Crafts’, a title she is keen to avoid. “Oh no!” she laughs. “It’s much more than one person. It’s just Collaborative Crafts!” 🤝

Art is not the only part of Christine’s volunteering interests at the Trust. She is a member of the
Transport Team and helps with RISE seated sports. “They are chair-based exercises,” she explains. “People are put in teams and they do a warm-up and then play games. We have two lines and then some goals and it is great fun!

“Sometimes people come early for a coffee and a chat at the Harpenden Trust’s Well Bean Café,
and then go on for another coffee after the class!” ☕️

Christine is a great example of the positives of volunteering. “It’s great to feel part of a wider
supportive community,” she explains. “We are a fairly smallish town and volunteering with the Harpenden Trusts means that you meet lots of lovely people, both volunteers and clients.” 💜
And like many volunteers, Christine acknowledges how much she gains from the experience, “It’s very much a two-way process,” she says. “We are there to support the client, but equally we get a lot back, especially when you see how much they are getting from what we do together. It really is a great example of ‘being each other’s medicine’.”

Thank you Christine ⭐️

03/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer Focus: The Transport Team ⭐️

Today we turn the spotlight onto a Team of volunteers. We’re delighted to highlight the work of the Drivers of the Harpenden Trust!

The Harpenden Trust minibus is a welcome sight around the town and it’s a vital part of the
Trust’s Transport Team. “We have the minibus but there are also a number of private cars and
their drivers that help get our clients to activities and where they need to go,” explains Frank von
Glehn, a member of the Transport Team. 🚐

The Transport Team’s guiding principle is simple, “Not having transport should not be a reason
for someone missing out,” says Frank. With this in mind, the Harpenden Trust currently has
around 30 volunteers who help with driving and support. 💜

The Team picks up clients from their homes in Harpenden and takes them to Harpenden Trust
activities, as well as dropping them home afterwards. “I am one of the minibus drivers,” says Martin Goldwater. 🚐

“And we also have a volunteer Courier on board who goes and gets the clients from their homes and helps them get on and off of the bus and gives general support.” 🤝

There is also a fleet of private cars and drivers, like volunteer Alison Banks. “Some of our drivers
are very happy to take more than one person, which can be really useful,” she explains. “For
example, we were able to take one lady to an activity, but we were also able to take her carer, and that makes a huge difference.” 🚗

The role does have its challenges though’ “If you only have a little car it can be quite a challenge
getting a Zimmer frame in!” says Alison.

“My main involvement in the team is to try to find drivers and organize the lifts,” says Frank who
makes sure that the right vehicle and volunteers are assigned to the right pick-ups. “We always
need more drivers,” he adds. And Martin takes on the challenges of driving (and parking!) the minibus in Harpenden. 🅿️

“Manoeuvring the minibus in tight access can be pretty tricky,” he says. “It can also be hard when
we are picking someone up and other drivers get impatient. Although I can understand their
frustration!” 🤣

However, despite these challenges, the team members are incredibly positive about their role
within the Harpenden Trust. “It’s a lovely way to meet new people around Harpenden,” says
Alison. 😍

“I’ve found that volunteering can really give you an extra purpose in your life,” says Martin, a
sentiment that has been echoed by all the volunteers. “It’s also wonderful to see how we can help bring a little variety into our clients’ lives.”

Frank agrees, “For some of our clients, it is often it is the only way that they can get out.”

So what would the team say to anyone thinking about considering lending their driving skills to the Harpenden Trust?

“There is clearly a need for volunteers and the Harpenden Trust,” says Frank. “And in particular if you want to help people and you can drive it’s a great thing to do.” 👏
Alison agrees, “I would thoroughly encourage anyone to join us. We’re very friendly!” And Martin agrees, and notes how easy it is take up other volunteering roles at the Trust, “You’ll always find something interesting to do in the Trust, whether it’s a new activity, or just chatting to people; it’s a real pleasure to take part.” 💜

Thank you Frank, Martin & Alison ⭐️

02/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer Focus: Gerard Stubbs ⭐️

We are continuing our celebration of Volunteers’ Week with a focus on Gerard Stubbs, a volunteer on our Audit, Risk and Governance Committee. 😍

The Harpenden Trust is very fortunate to have volunteers with a range of specialist knowledge and skills. One of these volunteers is Gerard Stubbs, who is a member of the Audit, Risk and Governance (ARG) Committee. This committee is crucial as it supports the Harpenden Trust to operate within the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. It also supports the Harpenden Trust Board by reviewing and recommending changes to the Trust’s internal controls, financial reporting and risk management enabling them to be carefully managed and to a high standard.

“I am a finance guy,” he says. “Actually, I’m an accountant, although I’m semi-retired.” Gerard has worked in a number of banks and organisations in a career that has spanned 37 years and has worked internationally covering many countries. 👏

“It was my wife that spotted a post on social media from the Harpenden Trust looking for volunteers and mentioning the ARG Committee,” he explains. “I met with the People Director at the Trust, and we spoke about a number of roles and settled on this one.”

Gerard soon found his place within the committee, “We have people with a range of complementary skills,” he explains. “We have someone with a legal background, and others with company secretary experience, as well as general business and regulatory expertise.”

The committee has complex responsibilities, but it’s fundamental duties include reviewing how the Trust is run and organised, making sure its finances are sound, being aware of risk, ensuring that the Trust follows all relevant laws and regulations, and keeping the Board of the Trust informed of any issues that may, or could arise. 💜

This key role in the Trust means that Gerard has had the opportunity to work with other volunteers outside the Committee at a strategic level. “I’ve been working alongside the Trust’s Finance Director, looking at all the processes we have in place within the Finance Department,” he explains. “We are making sure there is a clear division of responsibility, and everyone knows what should happen in various situations.”

“Basically, what we are trying to do is support and help the Harpenden Trust grow safely,” says Gerard. “We are very aware that we are in uncertain times and there is more need than ever for the Trust and the services that it provides. We look at the here and now, but we also look at where we should be in three years, or five years and even beyond that. We are very clear that we need to support the sustainability of the Trust.” 💫

He also has a very personal reason for supporting the Trust. “When my wife and I moved to Harpenden many years ago we had no idea that my Grandparents used to live here, just up the road from the Harpenden Trust Centre in Southdown. My parents were married in St John’s Church before they moved to Australia as ‘Ten Pound Poms’. 🥰

“We settled here and our children were born and raised here, and I wanted to contribute what Icould to the town. It is so wonderful to be able to give back to a community that has given my
family so much.” 💫

Thank you Gerard! ⭐️

01/06/2026

⭐️ Volunteer in Focus: Helen Nelson ⭐️

We are kicking off our celebration of Volunteers’ Week with a focus on Helen Nelson, a volunteer supporting the Befriender Team. 😍

Helen is a relatively new volunteer with The Harpenden Trust. “I joined the Trust in December 2025,” she said. “I had semi-retired and had been thinking about doing something for a while. It was almost by co-incidence that I came to one of the Wellbeing Groups being run by the Trust and realized that there was so much going on.” ❤️

This initial contact opened up a wide range of volunteering opportunities for Helen. “I initially volunteered as a bucket shaker at Carols on the Common. I asked the Trust if they had any use for my event planning skills as I worked in the travel industry for 40 years and have experience in organising everything, from transport and tours, to group meals and accommodation. They said, ‘What we need right now is someone to help with the Befriending Team’. So, in January, I hit the ground running and joined them.” 🤝

Befriending plays a key role in the Harpenden Trust. The Befriending Service provides regular company to older people on their own who may struggle to get out or who have little contact with relatives. Befriender volunteers call or visit their ‘Befriendees’ around once a week. They may have a chat, a cup of tea, or go for a gentle walk or accompany them
to one of the Harpenden Trust activities. It is a valuable service that keeps some very vulnerable people connected to the Harpenden community. ☕️

“It’s not just about offering friendship,” explains Helen. “A lot of the time people will be reluctant to come to an activity as they don’t know anyone. But if they have their Befriender with them then they have a friend that they can go in with. And that makes all
the difference.” 👏

Helen is now providing vital support to this service, “The Harpenden Trust receives referrals for potential clients of the Befriending service, and we also have those who wish to volunteer to be Befrienders. Members of the team meet both groups and make sure that all the relevant checks are done. ✔️

“One of my jobs is to support the Befrienders after they have been matched with a Befriendee. If there are any issues, or they need support they can contact me and I can make sure they get what they need.” 🥰

Helen’s role in supporting the Befrienders can have a profound effect. “I have been very much a little piece of the cog in the machine that helped match Befrienders and Befriendees and I know that that has made a huge difference in someone’s life,” she says. “At the last count about 75 befrienders and there’s always a need for more!” ⚙️

So, what would Helen say to someone considering volunteering for the Harpenden Trust?

“Do it!” she smiles. “It’s so fulfilling and you meet so many new people. ❤️

“The Harpenden Trust helped me when I needed it and so I decided that I wanted to give something back. It has given me the chance to help others which has been wonderful. And the more you get involved the more you realize how lucky we are to have the Trust.” 💜

Thank you Helen ⭐️

31/05/2026

⭐️ Get ready for Volunteers’ Week with The Harpenden Trust! ⭐️

The Harpenden Trust will be celebrating Volunteers’ Week from tomorrow, the 1st June until 8th June!

During the week, we’ll be showcasing individuals and groups that make a huge difference to our community. 💜

The Harpenden Trust has been supporting individuals, families and the Harpenden community for over 75 years. It has over 500 volunteers who give their time and energy to support a huge range of projects. Volunteering can mean anything from giving an hour a week, to as much time as you can muster and we welcome people from 17 to 107! We also have roles that that only run for a limited time throughout the year and long-term projects.

We run a large range of activities and services for the people of Harpenden. We also have a huge number of opportunities for volunteers.

These are just some of our volunteer roles (there are lots more!)

💫 Befriender
🚐 Minibus and car drivers,
🎄 Christmas Appeal organizers and collectors (from September to January only)
💻 IT support and development
📓 Organisation and Support for Activities support (including Film Club, Lunches, Music
Quizes, Bingo, Men’s Morning)

Richard Nichols, chairman of the Harpenden Trust explains, “Volunteers are at the very heart of everything we do at the Trust. Our volunteers don't just support the Harpenden Trust; they ARE the Harpenden Trust. This Volunteers' Week, we're proud to celebrate over 500 remarkable people whose generosity of time and spirit transforms lives across our community."

If you have ever thought about volunteering, now is an excellent time to get in touch. Our friendly
team will be delighted to talk to you about joining us at The Harpenden Trust. 💜⭐️

For more information, please email [email protected]

21/05/2026

This week Harpenden Town Council, along with the The Harpenden Trust and The Salvation Army Harpenden, is providing helpful resources, advice and events to bring awareness to Dementia Action Week.

A diagnosis of dementia can be a worrying time for families and carers and there is often a need for further information and support. The Harpenden Trust has put together a helpful document outlining resources available for people with memory problems in the local Harpenden and St Albans area. Please visit our website to download a copy - www.harpenden.gov.uk/dementia-friendly-town

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