About Focus 4 Hope
Focus4Hope is a non-profit providing support for the homeless, elderly, and isolated in West Yorkshire.
Focus4Hope is known in the community as a group that always rises to the occasion. We strive to help people of all backgrounds, without judgement; leading with care and empathy in everything that we do.
For more detailed information please visit our “what we do” page. Alternatively, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.
Louise Reed, CEO & Founder
Our CEO and founder Louise Reed was inspired to begin Focus4Hope in 2016, after seeing devastating images of the body of a 3 year old Syrian boy named Alan Kurdi, who washed up on a beach in Turkey. He and two other members of his family tragically drowned during an attempt to flee to safety. Hearing his story was even more emotionally resonant because of the fact that Louise’s daughters were around the same age as Alan at the time. She knew that she had to do something to help those impacted by the refugee crisis, and so Focus4Hope was born.
Louise brought together a coalition of friends and professional contacts who were dedicated to making a meaningful impact on people’s lives. Soon after setting to work, Louise realised how much need there was in her own community, and the goal of Focus4Hope expanded to helping the homeless, elderly and vulnerable in West Yorkshire.
After years of tirelessly working in our community and beyond, we were thrilled to receive charity status in November of 2020.
Nicola Freemantle, Manager & Hub Coordinator
Originally from Kent, Nic moved to Yorkshire in 2001 and her big heart and straight forward, ‘say it as it is personality’, means that she quickly earned the moniker of “Honorary Yorkshire Woman.’ Her passion has always been to help, whether animals or humans. She worked as a veterinary nurse for fifteen years and then, after taking time out to have a family, she joined the Community Kitchen in Halifax and ran that for a couple of years before joining Focus4Hope.
It’s not been an easy ride for Nic, having faced domestic violence, bankruptcy and being in a situation where she has also needed a food bank and debt assistance. However, this means that she understands, is empathetic but also practical and is the perfect person to assist and advise anyone facing similar difficult circumstances.
Her story is an inspiration. When not keeping us all in check, she’s a mum’s taxi to her three children, loves music, coffee, horses, dogs and a bit of a boogie on a Saturday night!
Philippa Kaye, Charity Development Coordinator
Philippa has had an eclectic career, most of which has been spent in India, where she ran a consultancy business for over 14 years. In addition, she has also supported small, niche operators and has a passion for supporting companies and organisations who operate on a grass roots level, working together with and supporting local artisans and NGO’s throughout the country. Having returned to the UK at the start of the pandemic, she joined Focus4Hope as a volunteer, and never looked back.
She is as happy doing essential runs to the tip as she is delivering hampers around our community. We were delighted when she agreed to come on board as our Charity Development Coordinator in 2021, her wealth of business acumen together with her skillset in managing a diverse range of people and problems, and her passion for content marketing (she’s also an author!) means that she is a valued member of our team.
She loves walks, especially with dogs and horse riding and, when not at Focus4Hope or chatting to volunteers at Hub4Hope, she can be found camera in hand exploring Yorkshire!
Volunteers
All of the important work that we accomplish is made possible by our fabulous team of volunteers, and we are so grateful to work with them all. Whether offering a couple of hours a day, week or month ,assisting with the food bank, parcel delivery, in the charity shop, at our bi monthly homeless feed, coffee mornings and beyond, their assistance always accompanied by a cheerful smile, is invaluable. Our volunteers came up with the moniker, FocusFamily and we are!
If you would like to volunteer with us, click here >
*All of our volunteers are DBS checked and hold Food Hygiene Certificates where required.