Stuart Anderson MP was privileged to present local resident Leanne McDonald with a prestigious award from the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in recognition of her voluntary service during COVID-19, providing an online support service for people in difficult circumstances across the city. The community-led organisation ‘Simple Acts of Kindness’, set up by Leanne McDonald, has since expanded to helping over 200 families a year. They work in partnership with professionals and the local authority to distribute essential household items to vulnerable people, as well as signposting them towards further support services and connecting them with local community based projects.
Stuart presented Leanne with the award on Friday 1st March, where he also met some of the volunteers who run the group. The initiative focuses on using pre-loved items to prevent them from going to landfill, with people invited to donate clothing, household goods, and furniture to be re-used or sold to help with fundraising efforts. Leanne runs the group in her spare time, and there is involvement from the whole community, with volunteers freely giving their time to help organise, collect, and deliver items. The network stays in touch with those that they have helped, who often donate back their skills or household items to support the organisation once they are able to do so.
Stuart said that it was a privilege to present Leanne with the Prime Minister’s Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. The scheme celebrates, encourages, and promotes volunteering and the value that it brings to the country. Leanne is the 2246th recipient of the prestigious award, which was first launched in April 2014. Each weekday, someone, somewhere, in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements. Leanne loves to connect people and runs additional events, including family fundays and has become a trusted source of help for those without a support network.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “It was a privilege to present Leanne McDonald from Wolverhampton with the Point of Light Award on behalf of the Prime Minister. The ‘Simple Acts of Kindness’ initiative, spearheaded by Leanne, is a fantastic addition to our community. So, it is fitting that Leanne’s hard work and dedicated efforts have been recognised with this well-deserved award from the Prime Minister. This is a fantastic achievement which recognises the meaningful change that outstanding volunteers such as Leanne are making in communities like Wolverhampton.”
Leanne McDonald said: “I'm speechless which for anyone who knows me is very rare! The overall aim for everyone within Wolverhampton and beyond is that by local people understanding and sharing items they no longer need to bridge the gap of material poverty to reduce stress increase better mental health so people can concentrate on daily life and focus their attentions on a positive future by using my love of people and experience of living in a rural area to encourage others to mirror a village mentality both by young people leaving the care system and families who find themselves in tough circumstances.”
"Simple Acts of Kindness" currently operate via their Facebook page, but have received an offer from a local marketing company to build a new website which they hope to launch soon, as well as looking to expand to acquire a larger storage space.