Our Team

  • Hannah Reay - Education Manager (Founder)

    Hannah founded The Pickle Palace in 2017, making chutneys and jams from food that would otherwise be thrown away. She now works with schools in our area to promote cooking and eating healthy meals to adults and children.

    “The Pickle Palace has evolved into more than I thought it ever could be. It’s such an exciting place to work….can it be called work when u have this much fun?! I love our team and as we’ve grown together, we’ve made The Pickle Palace somewhere people love to come, it’s been a privilege to see people become friends (both customers and volunteers) and to help us on our mission to rescue food and feed people, it’s brilliant”

  • Julie Brown - Operations Manager

    Julie has been part of the Pickle Palace since January 2018 and organises pick up, drop offs and all Market organisation.

    “I started at The Pickle Palace in 2018 after working with the Council for 6 years; I found out about The Pickle Palace through a friend and went to see what all of the rave was about and I never left! My mental health at the time wasn’t great and when I started to volunteer I really enjoyed the laughs and the chat and never looked back! I absolutely love what Pickle is about and love being part of it.”

  • Emma Arthur - Communications Manager


    Emma has been with us since February 2024. Her role is to manage all Social Media content, speak to current and new suppliers and customer relations.

    “I started at the The Pickle Palace in February 2024 when I was on Maternity with my first baby, Olive. Julie approached me with the offer, and I soon met Hannah! As soon as I sat down, I just knew we where all going to get on well and it has been an amazing job so far. Our volunteers are absolutely amazing and we are a family. I love what The Pickle Palace do and it feels great to be part of a team that is pro-active in making changes to the community and people’s lives.”

  • Cathy Atkinson - Grants Manager

    Cathy joined The Pickle Palace in November 2023. She researches and writes our grant applications for funding and manages our reporting. Cathy enjoys developing relationships to help us work in partnership with funders and others in the charity sector.

    “After leaving my career in client service and project management, I found The Pickle Palace and met Hannah who inspired me to start volunteering to collect and sort food surplus. Seeing their positive impact feeding local people and saving tonnes of food waste every week, I was keen to use my skills and experience to help raise funds to support the vital work they do, develop new food education projects and partnerships. The Pickle people are such a fun and dedicated team to work with, it's great to be involved and to help support their purpose.”

Our Volunteers

  • Angie

    Volunteer

  • Annie

    Volunteer

  • Bev

    Volunteer

  • Christine

    Volunteer

  • Clare

    Volunteer

  • David

    Volunteer

  • Dawn

    Volunteer

  • Jonny

    Volunteer

  • Rachael

    Volunteer

  • Stewart

    Volunteer

  • Kayla

    Volunteer

Join our Team

Our Trustees

  • Sue Hall

    Chairman Trustee

  • Chris Slater

    Trustee

  • Helen Haran

    Trustee

What our Team say:

  • "I am honoured to be part of this wonderful Pickle family. We work hard to provide a very welcome service to local and wider communities. Along the way we have a lot of fun and laughter too. I love it!”

    Christine - Volunteer

  • “I feel very privileged to work with a wonderful team at Pickle Palace. We strive to make a difference for the people in our community and work hard to make life a little better and easier each and every market day. The rewards are simple but huge when you see the difference you can make, and the energy from the team is immense”

    Stuart - Volunteer

  • “I have been volunteering for Pickle Palace for three years now. I found the Pickle Palace during a difficult time in my life. I was welcomed into the team as they saw my potential and my love for helping people and my local community”

    Jonny - Volunteer

  • “I started using the market at Chopwell and then got the chance to help unloading and setting the Market up. After a while I was given the opportunity to become a volunteer which I took, and absolutely love it. I love the idea that we are helping reduce the food from going to landfill and the knowing that we are making good use of it to help reduce food bills for people. I also love helping people even if it is just a chat or making people feel happy and welcome. If anyone is struggling with anything they have a friendly trustworthy face to talk too. That applies to the whole team of amazing workers and also knowing that if any of us have a problem we can talk to each other and to also have a good laugh amongst ourselves”

    Claire - Volunteer

  • “I used to use the market after an early retirement and loved the social aspect of it and graduated into volunteering.”

    Dawn - Volunteer

  • “I am lucky enough to have some free time and I can’t think of anything better (both for me and others) than using that time to help and to give back to the community where I live.”

    Rachael - Volunteer

  • “I collect the money, serve teas and sandwiches and collect the food waste from supermarkets. I hate wasting anything so love that people are benefiting from food which would otherwise end up in landfill and I am part of it. I love the little community that we have at Greenside on a Thursday morning”

    Bev - Volunteer

  • “Having met Hannah and Julie when I started working at Chopwell Primary I learned a lot about the Pickle Palace and what both Hannah and Julie’s beliefs were about reducing food waste. I value the same principles and was honoured when I was approached to act as Trustee from the transition to become a registered charity. The team have some ambitious ideas moving forward and I hope that being on board from the start of this Charity will allow me to help those ambitions become reality, growing and leading the charity as it evolves in this next chapter.”

    Chris - Trustee

  • “I joined because I was very impressed with the way the PIP CIC had addressed food waste and food deprivation and it's other initiatives, as well as the commitment of the two PP founders.”

    Sue - Chairman Trustee

  • “I started to come to the Pickle Palace very early on when my seven year-old was just a baby. We used to have a great time at the market and then waiting around playing with toys until the lunch club was on. It was a huge lifeline for us getting out the house meeting people getting fed and lots of people who wanted to give the baby a cuddle!”

    Helen - Trustee

  • “I kept driving past a striking green and purple banner ,then at the community centre, advertising The Pickle Palace. My nosiness eventually got the better of me and I stopped driving past and went in. There began my allegiance with, and dedication to a cause close to my heart. What’s not to love about an organisation that is passionate about saving food from landfill and putting it on the tables of the local community. For providing invaluable teaching, ideas and tips for those open to listening. For giving people like me the opportunity to play Ready, Steady, Cook as I excitedly delve in to my Happy Bag. The Pickle Palace is this and so much more, long may it continue”

    Jane - Former Trustee

  • "I have been coming to pickle palace for last few years really appreciated what the staff done and thought it was a great way of saving on landfill and getting groceries at such a low price . Then asked to join to help out as I spoke to team about been a volunteer. I have since introduced Nichola who I support at work to help out with The Pickle Palace.”

    Angie - Volunteer

  • "I love volunteering with the Pickles. Friends, food and fun. I love talking to the market users, especially when we have fruit or vegetables that are a bit different and we swap recipes.”

    Annie - Volunteer

  • "I first heard about the pickle palace through my mam a couple years ago and thought I would give it ago. I’m a big believer on nothing going to waste and to save money would be an extra bonus while studying. Straight away I loved it everyone was so friendly and welcoming. About 6 months ago I was asked if I would like to volunteer. And since then the pickle palace is like one big family it’s great to feel like I’m contributing to the amazing work everyone does in helping others”

    Kayla - Volunteer