A Day at The Lighthouse Woking: Volunteering at the Community Lunch

Recently, Shannon Millar, our Managing Consultant, spent the day volunteering with Lucy Greenland and the team at The Lighthouse Woking, helping out at their Community Lunch.

It was a day spent doing something simple but genuinely powerful: bringing people together over a hot meal, a friendly chat and a welcoming environment.

"It was a really rewarding experience to be part of something that brings people together. What really stood out to me is the way The Lighthouse creates opportunities for people to connect, build friendships and combat loneliness and social isolation." Shannon, Daniel Owen

Who are The Lighthouse Woking?

The Lighthouse is a Woking-based charity offering practical, wraparound support to people in the local community. Their work goes far beyond the Community Lunch, with services including:

• Foodbank, providing emergency food for those in crisis
• The Hygiene Bank, offering toiletries and essential personal items
• Style Studio, providing clothing and confidence support
• Jigsaw, offering dedicated support for families
• Money and budgeting advice
• Employment coaching
• Mental health and wellbeing activities
• Community groups, including the Ukrainian Hub

Together, these services meet people wherever they happen to be, whether that's needing a food parcel this week, help getting on top of a budget, or an interview outfit and the confidence to wear it.

Why this matters

Food poverty and financial hardship are the visible problems. Loneliness and social isolation are the ones people talk about far less, and they affect people of every age and background.

What makes The Lighthouse so effective is that it tackles both at the same time. Someone might walk through the door for a hot meal and leave having made a friend, found out about employment coaching, or simply had a proper conversation for the first time that week. That kind of joined-up, human support is what strong communities are built on.

It's also a reminder that giving back doesn't always need to be a grand gesture. Sometimes it's a day of your time, serving lunch and listening.

Supporting our teams to give back

At Daniel Owen, our people are given time away from work to volunteer with local charities and causes that matter to them. It's a small commitment on our part, but it adds up to a meaningful contribution to the communities we live and work in.

Thank you, The Lighthouse

A huge thank you to Lucy Greenland and everyone at The Lighthouse Woking for the warm welcome and for the opportunity to get involved. It was a privilege to see first-hand the difference you make.

You can find out more about their work at the-lighthouse.info.

If you're a charity or community organisation looking for support with employability sessions, CV workshops or volunteering, we'd love to hear from you. Our teams are always happy to share their expertise and help you meet your community and social value goals.

Get in touch with us to discuss how we can support your initiative.