A helping hand for Harpenden neighbours in need
Harpenden Helping Hand Association is a small, volunteer-run local charity. Since 1971 we have helped people in Harpenden and its immediate surroundings who are in need, hardship or distress — with volunteer transport, practical “good neighbour” help, and signposting to specialist welfare services.
Call us: 07961 931602
Email: info@harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk
How we help
Volunteer transport
Lifts from volunteer drivers for people who are unable to use public transport — for example, to medical and health appointments.
Good neighbour help
Everyday neighbourly help for people who need it — such as shopping, gardening, or simply company and companionship.
Signposting
If a specialist service would help you better, we can put you in touch with an appropriate specialised welfare service.
Harpenden Common, on the edge of the town we serve.
Who we are here for
Our charitable work focuses on the advancement of health and on disability. In practice that means we mainly help older people and people with disabilities who live in Harpenden and its immediate surroundings and are in conditions of need, hardship or distress.
About the charity
About Us
Harpenden Helping Hand Association — known locally as Harpenden Helping Hand, or HHH — is a long-established Harpenden charity run entirely by volunteers.
Our purpose
Our charitable objects, as recorded by the Charity Commission, are to relieve — generally or individually — persons resident in Harpenden and its immediate surroundings who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress.
We do this by bringing relief to anyone in the local Harpenden community who is in need: either by offering assistance from local sources, or by putting the person in touch with an appropriate specialised welfare service. Our direct help includes transport for people who are unable to use public transport, and “good neighbour” help such as shopping, gardening, or company.
The association at a glance
- Legal name
- Harpenden Helping Hand Association
- Working names
- Harpenden Helping Hand · HHH
- Registered charity
- No. 261426, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 13 August 1971
- Organisation type
- An association (Charity Commission organisation type: “Other”) — not a company
- Governing document
- Constitution adopted 4 May 1971, as amended on 17 May 2000 and 18 May 2010
- Area of benefit
- Harpenden and its immediate surroundings, in Hertfordshire
- How we work
- Entirely volunteer-run: 65 volunteers and 3 trustees. No employees are listed on the register, and no trustee receives any remuneration, payments or benefits.
- Property
- The charity does not own or lease land or property, and has no trading subsidiaries.
What the register records
What we do
- The advancement of health or saving of lives
- Disability
How we help
- Provides human resources
- Provides services
Who we help
- Elderly / old people
- People with disabilities
Where we operate
- Hertfordshire — Harpenden and its immediate surroundings
You can check these details yourself on our Charity Commission register entry.
Our services
What We Do
Practical, neighbourly help for people in the Harpenden community who are in need — given by local volunteers.
Volunteer transport
Getting to appointments can be very difficult if you cannot use public transport. Our volunteer drivers provide transport for people in that position — for example, journeys to medical and health appointments.
- For people who are unable to use public transport
- Given by local volunteer drivers
- For journeys such as medical and health appointments
“Good neighbour” help
Sometimes what is needed is a neighbourly hand with everyday things. Our volunteers respond to requests for good neighbour help, such as:
- Shopping
- Gardening
- Company and companionship
If you are finding something difficult at home, it is worth asking — we will always try to help or point you to someone who can.
Signposting to specialist help
We are a small local charity, and some needs call for specialist support. Where that is the case, we can put you in touch with an appropriate specialised welfare service, so you reach the right help rather than struggling on alone.
Eligibility
Who We Help
We help people who live in Harpenden and its immediate surroundings and who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress.
Older people
Many of the people we help are elderly. That might mean needing a lift to a health appointment because buses are no longer manageable, help with shopping or the garden, or simply regular company.
People with disabilities
Disability is one of the charity's registered areas of work. If a disability makes transport or everyday tasks difficult, our volunteers may be able to help.
Our area
Our charitable objects cover people resident in Harpenden and its immediate surroundings, within Hertfordshire. Our work focuses on the advancement of health and on disability, and we help by providing people (our volunteers) and services (transport and good neighbour help).
Not sure if we can help you? Please just ask. Call 07961 931602 or email info@harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk — and if a specialist welfare service would be better placed to help, we can put you in touch with one.
Harpenden Common — part of the town and surroundings where our beneficiaries live.
Request help
Get Help / Request Help
If you live in Harpenden or its immediate surroundings and are in need, hardship or distress, please get in touch. Asking is simple, and there is no form to fill in on this website.
How to ask
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Contact us
Call us on 07961 931602 or email info@harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk. You can ask for yourself, or on behalf of a neighbour, friend or family member.
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Tell us what you need
Explain what would help — for example a lift to a medical appointment because you cannot use public transport, help with shopping or gardening, or company. The more we understand, the better we can match you with a volunteer.
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We arrange help, or point you the right way
Where we can, we will arrange assistance from our local volunteers. If your need calls for specialist support, we will put you in touch with an appropriate specialised welfare service instead.
Help you can ask about
Transport
Lifts from volunteer drivers if you are unable to use public transport — for example, to medical and health appointments.
Practical help
Good neighbour help with everyday tasks such as shopping and gardening.
Company
Companionship — a friendly visit and someone to talk to.
Please note: Harpenden Helping Hand is run by volunteers and is a small local charity. We will always do our best, but we cannot guarantee that every request can be met. We do not provide emergency services — in an emergency, always call 999.
Join us
Volunteer With Us
Everything Harpenden Helping Hand does is done by volunteers — the register records 65 of them. If you live locally and can spare some time, we would love to hear from you.
Volunteer driver
Drive people who cannot use public transport to their appointments — for example medical and health appointments. You would be giving lifts within the local community, at times arranged through the charity.
Good neighbour volunteer
Offer neighbourly help such as shopping for someone, helping in their garden, or visiting for company and a chat.
How to volunteer
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Get in touch
Call 07961 931602 or email info@harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk and tell us you are interested in volunteering, and what you might like to do.
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Talk it through
We will discuss the roles with you. The charity has safeguarding and volunteer management policies, which guide how volunteers are supported and how the people we help are kept safe.
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Start helping locally
Join the team of 65 volunteers providing transport and good neighbour help across Harpenden and its immediate surroundings.
Trustees & volunteers
Our People
Harpenden Helping Hand is a volunteer-run charity: 3 trustees oversee it, and 65 volunteers deliver the help. No trustee receives any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.
Our trustees
Christopher Lyversage Marsden
Chair
Appointed 8 October 2021.
Peter Kenyon
Trustee
Appointed 5 July 2023.
Helen Loveland
Trustee
Trustee of the association, as recorded on the Charity Commission register.
Trustee details as recorded on the Charity Commission register for charity 261426.
Our volunteers
The latest register figure records 65 volunteers. They are the drivers who take people to appointments, the neighbours who shop, garden and visit, and the people who keep the association running day to day.
No employees are listed on the register — this charity runs on volunteered time, given by local people for local people.
Registration & finances
Transparency & Registration
Our registration details and finances, exactly as recorded on the Charity Commission register. Anyone can verify them on the register itself.
Registration
- Legal name
- Harpenden Helping Hand Association
- Registered Charity No.
- 261426 — Charity Commission for England and Wales
- Registered
- 13 August 1971
- Organisation type
- “Other” — an association; not a company, so there is no company number
- Governing document
- Constitution adopted 4 May 1971, as amended 17 May 2000 and 18 May 2010
- Register entry
- View charity 261426 on the Charity Commission register
- Property & trading
- The charity does not own or lease land or property and has no trading subsidiaries.
- Gift Aid
- The register states this charity is not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid. We therefore make no Gift Aid or tax-relief claims on donations.
Finances
Year ending 31 March 2025 (latest)
Total income: £12,335
Total expenditure: £20,019
In the latest year the charity spent more than it received, drawing on funds built up in earlier years to keep its volunteer transport and good neighbour help running.
Year ending 31 March 2024
Total income: £14,264
Total expenditure: £11,187
Figures as reported to the Charity Commission for the financial year ending 31 March 2024.
Income and expenditure history
Financial years ending 31 March. Source: Charity Commission register financial history.
| Financial year ending | Total income | Total expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2020 | £13,080 | £12,710 |
| 31 March 2021 | £4,010 | £4,810 |
| 31 March 2022 | £6,500 | £7,120 |
| 31 March 2023 | £9,170 | £8,920 |
| 31 March 2024 | £14,260 | £11,190 |
| 31 March 2025 | £12,335 | £20,019 |
History-table figures are as published in the register's financial history, which rounds to the nearest £10 — so the year ending 31 March 2024 appears there as £14,260 / £11,190, against the reported totals of £14,264 / £11,187 shown above.
Reporting record
The charity's annual returns were received on time for the financial years ending 31 March 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and its reporting is up to date on the register. As a small charity, its accounts and trustees' annual report (TAR) are recorded as “Not Required” for those years.
Supporting us: This website has no online donation facility, and we publish no bank or payment details. If you would like to support the charity, please contact us by phone on 07961 931602 or by email at info@harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk. Please note: the charity is not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid, so donations cannot be Gift Aided.
How we are run
Governance & Policies
Harpenden Helping Hand Association is governed by its constitution and overseen by its trustees, with the policies below recorded on the Charity Commission register.
Governing document
The association is governed by a constitution adopted on 4 May 1971, as amended on 17 May 2000 and 18 May 2010. It is an association (Charity Commission organisation type: “Other”), registered as charity number 261426 on 13 August 1971 — it is not a company and has no company number.
The charity is overseen by 3 trustees. No trustee receives any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. The charity does not own or lease land or property and has no trading subsidiaries.
Our policies
The following policies are recorded for the charity on the Charity Commission register:
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
- Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
- Complaints handling
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Investing charity funds policy and procedures
- Risk management
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Social media policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
Safeguarding and volunteer management matter especially to us: our volunteers visit people in their own homes and drive people who cannot use public transport, so clear policies protect both the people we help and the volunteers who help them.
If you have a complaint about the charity, please contact us using the details on the Contact page — our complaints handling and complaints policy and procedures set out how complaints are dealt with.
Talk to us
Contact
For help, volunteering, or any question about the charity, please contact us using the details from our Charity Commission register entry.
Contact details
Harpenden Helping Hand Association
17 Barrons Row
Harpenden
Hertfordshire
AL5 1SD
Phone: 07961 931602
Email: info@harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk
Website: harpendenhelpinghand.co.uk
What to contact us about
Asking for help
Transport, shopping, gardening, company — or help finding a specialist welfare service. See Get Help.
Volunteering
Join our 65 volunteers as a driver or good neighbour. See Volunteer With Us.
Supporting the charity
We have no online donation facility and are not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid. To discuss supporting us, please phone or email.
In an emergency, call 999. Harpenden Helping Hand is a volunteer-run local charity and does not provide emergency services.