Lianne Simpson set up her community interest company six years ago to help struggling families
A woman who set up a community interest company (CIC) to help people is in “disbelief” – as she has been featured in the New Year’s Honours list. From a converted garage in her home six years ago, Lianne Simpson launched Diamond Hampers in Huntingdon.
Lianne set up the CIC with the aim to help people struggling in the community to get food. As the service grew, Lianne opened her first shop, known as The Pantry, offering affordable food to families.
She then opened The Attic, selling repurposed home items and this year she opened The Toy Chest, selling affordable baby and children’s items. For all her hard work, Lianne has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year’s Honour list.
“I’m still in disbelief, It feels surreal,” said Lianne. She added: “I thought it was a joke, I was so confused. I am not one to take any recognition very well or a lot of praise. I don’t do it for that, I do it for people.
“I work voluntarily and help people. Not just people, but also the planet.”
Since Diamond Hampers was launched, it has provided around 647,000 meals to vulnerable people across Cambridgeshire. It has also provided 3.5 million meals from redirected waste at The Pantry. Lianne said the CIC has made “crazy amounts of progress” in six years.
She added: “This was set up to help people in a dignified way. It is to promote independence and self-sustainability, and to help people with long-term solutions.
“I never expected it to reach the levels it has. The conversations I had when I started it was I wanted to set up a small community group, but that group quickly developed and became bigger.”
Now that Lianne has been awarded an MBE, she said the CIC will “carry on like it always has”. She said: “We will carry on helping people on a greater scale like we always wanted to.
“It’s lovely to have recognition for the whole team. We are grateful for everyone that’s involved, including customers, volunteers and our clients.” Lianne is also looking at ways to franchise Diamond Hampers.
