Loading
Anchor Homes
    • Campaigns and research
    • Anchor research
  • Press room
  • Guides and support
  • Existing residents
    • Call on

      07713 085 004

      Mon-Fri (8am-6pm)

      Sat (8am-4pm)

    National Care Forum logo
  • Individual
  • Careers
  • Professionals
  • Media
  • Investors
Anchor Homes
  • Individual
  • Careers
  • Professionals
  • Media
  • Investors
  • Home
  • Media
  • Former chef volunteering to help local community

5 June 2019

Former chef volunteering to help local community

A kind-hearted resident from an Anchor Hanover retirement housing property in Leeds has been inspiring his neighbours to help reduce isolation and loneliness by volunteering to help others. 

Geoff volunteering weekAs Volunteer’s Week gets underway across the country, 65-year-old Geoff Bickleys has been reflecting upon some of his volunteering exploits. After making the decision to downsize, he moved to Mary Sunley House in January 2014. Since then the former chef and Kosher baker has embarked on a host of volunteering activities to support his neighbours and the local community

His first task involved breathing life into the estate gardens by growing flowers and herbs. He quickly followed this up when he grew his own fruit and vegetables, which he regularly shares with his neighbours. He also turns some of the produce into tasty jams and chutneys which he donates to charity.

Scheme Manager, Daniel Lucas, said: “Since I started my role here, Geoff has been a fantastic source of support for residents. He has a real can-do attitude, whether it’s shopping for his fellow residents or sharing fresh fruit and veg from the garden.”

Earlier this year Geoff volunteered for an asylum seeker project at St Anne’s Cathedral in Leeds. The project involved raising money to feed and support a group of asylum seekers who were staying in temporary accommodation. Geoff’s cooking and kitchen management experience served him well when he put his chef’s hat back on and also set about arranging for food donations from various shops and restaurants around Leeds.

Geoff said: “Until very recently I never really thought that I was volunteering. Helping others has always given me a real sense of purpose and if using my skills and past experience is able to give a person a better life, then that’s all the reward I need.”

More information about volunteering at Anchor Hanover can be found here.

This website uses cookies which track activity so that you get the best possible experience. By continuing to use this website we will assume you are happy and cookies will be set. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

 

Contact

Call our duty media officer on:

07713 085 004

Media enquiries only

Newsletter

Sign up for our free monthly email newsletter

Award winning

 

View our rating on carehome.co.uk - Top 20 care home group award 2021 Paws Award Laing Buisson Best Residential Care Provider 2020

 

© 2022 Anchor Hanover Group

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy
  • myHR staff portal
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube

Login to Anchor

  • Favourites
  • Existing residents

Looking for a new home with Anchor? Register for a website account to save your favourite properties.

Enter your email address or username.
Enter the password that accompanies your email address.
Register now
Forgotten your password? Click here to reset

Residents can securely access your rental and leaseholder account details through MyAccount.

Access MyAccount

Property Finder

View properties via county

Share this page...

Share via social media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Whats App
  • Facebook messenger
  • Email

Search Anchor

Looking for property contact details? Use our property phonebook