Elaine Herrington has been named Poverty Champion of the Year as part of Cheshire West Voluntary Action’s (CWVA) Volunteer Awards, highlighting the real difference she’s made to those who need food support through her volunteering with Changing Lives Together.
Poverty Champion of the Year is a new category for 2021 as, alongside climate and mental health, poverty has been one of the key themes of CWVA’s volunteering campaign.
Elaine started volunteering at Changing Lives Together in 2020 during the Christmas Box project, helping meet the monumental task of packing more than 1,600 boxes to provide meals to children in the local area.
Ever since then, she has been a constant presence at the Cheshire Food Hub, assisting with the mission to end food poverty by devoting more than 600 hours of her time throughout 2021.
Elaine has been instrumental in the success of all projects, such as providing a further 2,200 food boxes, supplying 1,200 slow cooker packs and the weekly recipe packs to teach people both cooking skills and nutritional eating.
She also regularly lends support at the community shop and café, which has anywhere up to 100 customers each session, making sure the shop is sufficiently stocked and the shoppers are looked after.
The person who nominated Elaine said: “She is passionate about food equality and customer service.
“Elaine is always focusing on the person instead of the problem we are solving, she treats every person with respect, dignity and empathy and will always look to do more than what is needed for each person she meets.
“There is no task too big or small for Elaine and, whenever something needs doing, she rolls up her sleeves and gets it done with her full enthusiasm, encouraging the same response from those she works alongside.
“She is a natural leader in our volunteer team and the one who others look to if they ever need help in a difficult situation.”
Everyone at CWVA would like to congratulate Elaine on being named Poverty Champion of the Year for 2021.
