Victoria, who graduated with a Sociology and Psychology degree in 1997 now works as a Business Psychologist. She spotted a social media post from a nurse showing how she and her colleagues were suffering with sore hands. She saw a chance to help and began collecting hand cream donations. Within 10 days she had gathered an incredible 3,000 hand creams.
She wanted to make sure they were distributed fairly and to the people who needed them, so she started a Facebook page called Hampers for Heroes and it grew from there.
In the first 100 days of lockdown her hampers reached over 20,000 NHS staff and since then they have reached thousands more across the West Midlands and Warwickshire. Recipients now also include teachers.
The hampers now include a box of Cadbury's Heroes chocolates as well as snacks and treats for busy staff, pamper items and even stationery or socks.
She has been joined by a team of volunteers who now help collect donations, pack, and deliver hampers across the Midlands. She has now founded a Solihull-based community interest company to support the Hampers for Heroes initiative.
Victoria adds: "This is a long-term initiative that we feel has sufficient community support to see it continue beyond the current pandemic. In reaching the unsung heroes of health and social care settings, as well as those on the frontline, we hope we can bring light to others."
For more information about Victoria and how you can help support her work visit Hampers for Heroes.