New Hope's Team Conference 2024

On 6 June, over 70 New Hope staff members and volunteers gathered together at Wellspring Church Centre in Watford for our annual team conference. Entitled Knowing Me, Knowing You, the conference focused on sharing news and stories from every area of the charity.

The conference is a once-in-a-year opportunity for the whole team to gather together in a fun and friendly environment. Coinciding with Volunteers Week, it was a great time to thank our volunteers for their dedication and commitment. 

We enjoyed a delicious lunch and afternoon tea prepared by staff and volunteers at the Haven, heard about future plans and our new forthcoming strategy from Matthew Heasman (New Hope's CEO), learnt about a new model for engaging with people who have experienced trauma, discovered more about each of the different areas of New Hope - from the Outreach Team to the Board of Trustees, heard some inspiring stories of people who have been helped by our services, and celebrated our volunteers by awarding prizes from Room for Reward (a charity which donates hotel breaks to volunteers in recognition for their commitment).

It was a wonderful afternoon, full of warmth as people connected and re-connected with friends and collagues from across the charity. Building strong relationships and good communication across the organisation does not just benefit the staff and volunteers but is a huge plus for the people whom we help.

We are incredibly grateful to Wellspring Church for their hospitality and help with this event - it's an vital moment in our annual calendar enabling staff and volunteers to feel valued, to see the bigger picture, to be inspired and envisioned by future plans, and to strengthen their relationships with others. 

The event was also attended by Elected Mayor, Peter Taylor, and Sheila Meaning BEM, our honorary life president and one of our co-founders.