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“Mentally, volunteering has  done a world of wonders. I love giving my time back to the community , ”  – these are the words of Kelly Goldby.  

After spending more than 30 years struggling with addiction, Kelly has found support and confidence in volunteering with us to strengthen her road to recovery.  

Since becoming a popular addition to the kitchen at our Warm Spaces Café in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, she has never looked back and is even undertaking qualifications to achieve her dream of becoming a dog groomer.  

She said:  “ Being at the  Warm Spaces cafe has been a massive part of my recovery. Rehab gave me the foundations ,  and the cafe has given me purpose and stepping stones, even if  it’s  just being able to chat to the customers. If I can do this, anybody can ”.

Kelly Goldby says volunteering is supporting her through addiction recovery

As part of Volunteers' Week this week (June 1 -7), we are spotlighting our community heroes who underpin our  core values.

We have around 35 volunteers giving their time to the various community projects we support. This includes our cafes, weekly coffee mornings, community gardens and providing much-needed support across the community.

In return, w hile becoming a rock within the community, volunteers find themselves building their confidence, developing a strong work ethic and enhancing their CV by undertaking qualifications , while tackling social isolation.  

For Svitlana Simeiko, it was an opportunity to improve her English. Having trained as a Database Analyst in Ukraine, she is also a skilled artist. She recently stepped forward to offer face painting at the café.

“ I feel more confident speaking English now.  Because of volunteering, I am learning how life works in the UK. It helps me to socialise and understand British traditions and feel part of the community, not a stranger.”  

Many of our volunteers have found their love of cooking and a qualification in Food Hygiene Safety, financed by Trent & Dove, benefits both parties.  

With Kelly’s newfound confidence developed through volunteering, she proactively sought a Dog Groomer Level 2 qualification, with dreams of opening her own salon.  

For  James Flintham, Volunteer & Wellbeing Officer at Trent & Dove , it is about attracting volunteers to provide support in our community offerings. It could develop in to providing them with the skills and confidence they need to find paid employment.  Others have used volunteering as a  stop-gap between work after finding themselves redundant.  

Trent & Dove's Volunteer and Wellbeing Officer James Flintham

James is passionate about making his volunteers feel as comfortable as possible.  

“They are our VIPs, and you treat them as such. When they contact us, I ask them what support they need. I want our conversations to bring comfort from the very beginning.”  

To provide this comfort,  James has  had a chat on the bus with a future volunteer, providing a less formal setting. He played a few rounds of snooker with a fan in a snooker hall, while chatting about his needs in a familiar setting , and had an informal chat next to the river.  

“It is all about building confidence. People may have seen their confidence knocked through life events and changes. They are just trying to find their place, and they find purpose with volunteering."  

Rachael Hughes, Trent & Dove Head of Customer and Communities, said:

We are incredibly proud of the success of our volunteering programme and thankful for the support of our volunteers in delivering our community projects. Without our volunteers, many of these activities would simply not be possible.

We’re always eager to work with our customers and members of the wider community, and volunteering is a great way to gain experience and confidence. I am excited to see how our volunteers continue to develop and support our projects in the future.

We offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities, which can be found by:

— calling us on 01283 528528 

— our dedicated webpage

More about some of our dedicated volunteers

Svitlana Simeiko  

Svitlana is a Trent & Dove customer and came to England from Ukraine , and  wanted to volunteer to help to improve her English  

She became  part of the  kitchen  team in  the Warm Spaces  cafe. She volunteers for two mornings a week ,  helping to cook and serve  breakfast.  

Svitlana  worked as a database analyst in Ukraine and is also a skilled artist. She stepped forward to offer face painting at the Short Street family Halloween event.   

In the run up to Christmas 2025, Svitlana helped to make 300 mince pies which were enjoyed by customers and community members.   

“Because of volunteering, I am learning how life works in the UK. It helps me to socialise and understand British traditions and feel part of the community, not a stranger.”  

“I enjoy being useful and working in a team. I also enjoy learning new things and practicing my English. I speak with many different people and hear different accents and pronunciations . This helps me understand English better in real situations. I feel more confident speaking English now. At first, I was nervous, but now I feel more relaxed and comfortable. I am not afraid to speak in public  any more .”   

“Volunteering helps me to use my professional skills in a new country and rebuild my confidence. It helps me to move closer to my profession or find a similar job here.”   

Tarnyia Stacey  

Volunteering has helped Tarnyia Stacey beat isolation

Following a career as a carer , Tarnyia was becoming isolated at home. Tarnyia is a Trent & Dove customer who lives in Branston. A friend told her about the Place of Welcome at Branston Scout HQ, on Main Street in Branston and suggested that she give it a go. Taking place every Wednesday morning, Places of Welcome offers free refreshments and ,  importantly, a place to socialise.    

Tarnyia said:

“Everyone made me feel so welcome. Before I came ,  I asked myself what is the worst thing that could happen ?  After the first day, I  haven’t looked back.  It’s really boosted my confidence and given me new friendships. ”  

She became part of a regular team of four volunteers who serve hot drinks and cake and biscuits for over 30 regulars.   

She has met so many people at Places of Welcome. C ars will often beep their horn, or people stop her in the street to chat. With the confidence and experience under her belt, Tarnyia is considering applying for part time work this year.   

“The best thing about volunteering is getting out and meeting and talking to people. I now feel a real part of the community.”   

Kelly Goldby  

Kelly joined Trent & Dove  as a volunteer at its Warm Spaces cafe  in 2024. After 30 years of living and struggling with addiction, Kelly was in recovery, with support from BAC O’Connor. Although becoming a volunteer was overwhelming at first,  the cafe became Kelly’s ‘safe place’ and ‘like a second home ’.    

Volunteering in the kitchen has helped to increase her confidence and self-esteem . At the time, Kelly was feeling isolated but said : “Mentally, volunteering has been a world of wonders. I love giving my time and giving back to the community ”.    

In 2025 ,  Kelly started volunteering with BAC O’Connor, where she leads groups to learn healthy cooking on a budget. She is  studying   in a  Level 2 Dog Grooming course, with a passion and ambition to eventually open a salon   

“Volunteering at the  cafe has been a massive part of my recovery. Rehab gave me the foundations ,  and the cafe has given me purpose and stepping stones, even if  it’s  just being able to chat to the customers. If I can do this, anybody can .”