Somewhere to feel part of something bigger

Rose was in her nineties, and had lived in a small area in Nottingham for over 50 years. She struggled with social isolation and loneliness, but in the founder of Hope Hut and the space he built, she found somewhere she could come and feel part of something bigger. She attended Warm Hut every week, and would regularly knock on the founder's door for a chat throughout the week too. He was a listening ear, helped her with life admin, but most importantly, was her friend. Rose was a pillar of the Hope Hut community, everyone knew and loved her, and Hope Hut was a pivotal part of her support network. She passed away in 2024, and is much missed.

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This is the kind of difference the founder of Hope Hut has made, again and again, since 2014. Looking out of his window, an area blighted by poverty, knife crime and a difficult reputation, yet full of wonderful, talented people, he saw children playing chicken in the road with passing buses. With a background in youth work, he went outside and encouraged them to play football instead. He galvanised local dads, and an informal after-school football session was born. By 2018, with encouragement from the community, he converted his own garage into a local community space: Hope Hut.

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Registered as a constituted community group, Hope Hut has grown to offer a running group, a craft group, and a warm space, which was registered with Warm Welcome in 2023. Over 400 individuals from across the area engaged with a Hope Hut activity in 2025 alone. The founder is known throughout the community as a household where you can always knock on the door and find a listening ear and a non-judgemental welcome,  a beacon in an area ranked within the top 10% most deprived in the UK, according to the latest IMD rankings.

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He has volunteered thousands of hours through Hope Hut, building social cohesion and tackling loneliness one relationship at a time. He also developed the 'Chasing Hope' course, through which local people set goals for their lives and pursue them. Since January 2025, over 100 people have set a goal on the Chasing Hope community board, from children wanting to swim 50 metres, to residents hoping to start a business. Goals have been set, life aspirations pursued, loneliness tackled, and new friendships made.

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The founder of Hope Hut is a true community galvaniser, a "doer." What began as an unused garage is now a thriving space engaging hundreds of people a year, supported by a team of 15 volunteers, all spearheaded by his vision, energy and commitment. He fundraises, pioneers new projects, and connects with other community groups across the area, bringing hope and connection to hundreds of people in his community.

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Through his dedication, the founder of Hope Hut has transformed a garage into a lifeline. The Founder of Hope Hut was one of the shortlisted nominations of our Unsung Hero Award at the Warm Welcome Awards 2026.

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