Need Help

Harpenden Helping Hand is a Charity founded in 1971. Our volunteers provide help to anyone living in Harpenden who needs a ‘helping hand’ whatever their age and whatever their circumstances. 

Our volunteers are able to drive people to local hospitals, doctors’ and dental surgeries and opticians when taking public transport or a taxi would be difficult. All we ask is as much notice as possible, and a small donation to the charity for the help received. We can also help by taking people who have difficulty shopping alone to the shops or, if they are housebound, by undertaking their shopping for them. Volunteers can befriend the housebound or offer respite to a carer.

NEWS ALERT

We are spreading the news about the work our drivers do around Harpenden with coverage in local media.

The creative works below will be featured from March 23rd 2024 to engage with more residents across the town, spread the word about our services and recruit some new drivers.

Learn more about our current drivers on the Volunteers Page by clicking here.

Harpenden Helping Hand were at the Seniors' Fair in Harpenden on Tuesday April 4th held at the EMC. Chairman Chris Marsden and Helen Loveland spent the time explaining how they help local residents and persuading more local people to become volunteer drivers.

AGM 17th October 2024

 

Harpenden Helping Hand helps even more

At a lively and well attended Annual General Meeting on 17th October, Harpenden Helping Hand (HHH) announced it was giving £5,000 each to The King’s Pantry and Harpenden First Responders.

Thanks to the generosity of its clients and other donors over the years HHH has built up substantial surplus funds. Deciding to donate part of this surplus, the HHH Committee chose two organisations that it felt were closely related to HHH’s work and with whom there could be opportunities for future collaboration. 

Leaders of both organisations made presentations at the AGM.

 

Tony Stennett, who leads the work of the King’s Pantry, explained that it is a joint  venture between the Bethany Church and the Salvation Army. Tony talked about the Pantry’s work providing much needed food parcels for many needy families and individuals in Harpenden. Their main focus is on supporting people through difficult times until they are able to get back on their feet. HHH’s funding will enable King’s Pantry to provide generous Christmas parcels for all its clients. As part of an ongoing partnership arrangement, HHH hopes to help with delivery of parcels as needed and, through Tony’s active network of about 150 street co-ordinators in and around Harpenden, to recruit more volunteer drivers. 

Monica Merino, who is a First Responder, gave a most instructive talk about what she and her small team of volunteers do. Trained and monitored by the East of England Ambulance Service, they are the first to respond to emergencies before the paramedics arrive.  Everyone was impressed with their work and its close association with HHH’s helping hand concept. The £5,000 donation will go towards funding a series of training courses, aimed at as many people in Harpenden as possible, on first aid with a special emphasis on the use of defibrillators. Courses for HHH volunteer drivers are being arranged.

Chris Marsden

Chairman, HHH.

November 2024

Helen has lived in Harpenden since 1974. She joined Harpenden Helping Hand (HHH) ten years later. In those days HHH was a larger organization aimed at helping anyone in Harpenden who needed assistance.  As far as possible every significant road had a designated Local Helping Hand and roads were grouped together under District Helping Hands, who served on the General Committee. Helen was initially assigned to Piggottshill Lane and later became District Helping Hand for the surrounding roads. Most of her work was befriending and helping with shopping. In 1990 she was persuaded to become Vice-Chair of HHH and became Chair in 1992.

Helen stood down as chair in 1996 and became less involved in HHH as she was teaching full-time. When she returned to part-time work in 2003, she volunteered as a driver, as by then there was a greater need for drivers. She joined the committee again, as vice-chair and then secretary. She was chair from 2014 until 2021: the last three years of that time she acted as secretary when the previous secretary left.

Apart from helping clients with lifts, shopping and befriending, some of which she does with the Harpenden Trust, Helen does the secretarial and membership paperwork, including DBS checks, and is part of the transport organising team. She also enjoys opportunities to network with related charities.