Helping Hands offer a little pampering - The Leamington Observer

Helping Hands offer a little pampering

Leamington Editorial 22nd Jul, 2015 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

EVERYONE deserves a bit of pampering now and again.

And that’s just what occurred to Lianne Kirkman, who along with husband Paddy and a band of dedicated volunteers,

runs the Helping Hands community project in the district, helping less well off members of the community, providing everything from furniture and food to clothing, toiletries, and baby items.

Lianne, who also runs the soup kitchen in Leamington with Paddy, thought it would be nice to treat the people helped by the project to an evening of pampering – from a haircut to a massage.




She put the idea on the project’s Facebook page and was amazed at the response.

Lianne explained; “I thought we all need a bit of a pamper, a chance to re-coup now and then.


“I put up a post on Facebook and was inundated with offers of help. I can’t thank the businesses enough who came forward.

The pampering evening took place next to All saints Church on Thursday (July 16).

“One man was in tears. He told me ‘no one has treated me like this before’.”

“Another man passing by with his wife asked what we were doing and then returned to make a donation. He then asked if he could give some money to those attending, and handed out £10 chatting with the people as he did. I asked him his name but he wouldn’t say, and then he left.”

Flex Barbers and Diaz Hair salon kindly offered the use of their facilities. Offering haircuts were Dawn Rimmer, Marion Burns, Jo Ashton, Amy Cox and Cathie Bailey, while Liz Chal and Colleen Waters provided massages.

And other volunteers handed out food and hygiene packs to those attending.

Helping Hands was started two years ago by Kenilworth resident Jayne Sherratt who had wanted to invite a homeless man to Christmas lunch.

Proving difficult to arrange she decided to give out Christmas lunch at a local homeless shelter instead. Jayne reached out to her friends on Facebook to donate items to take with her. Inundated with items she was not only able to give them to the people in the shelter, but also had enough to give to other local families in need

The project is now in the process of becoming a registered charity under the umbrella name ‘Communitas International’.

* Helping Hands is currently in desperate need of a new storage facility having lost its previous facility this week.

The project is also keen to welcome volunteers.

Email [email protected] for further details

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