M&S Manchester

- The advancement of health or saving of lives - Children/young people - Elderly/old people - People of a particular ethnic or racial origin - Other charities or voluntary bodies - The general public/mankind - Makes grants to organisations - Provides other finance - Provides services - Provides advocacy/advice/information - Sponsors or undertakes research

The Food Rescue Group at Manchester mobilises an active and committed network of student volunteers and community partners from across the city. Led by students from local universities, the group turns climate concern into practical action by addressing food waste at a grassroots level. Food waste is a major driver of climate change. Valuable resources such as land, water, and energy are consumed to produce food, yet large quantities are discarded and sent to landfill, where they generate methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. By rescuing surplus food and redirecting it to people who need it, the group reduces environmental harm while supporting families and individuals across Manchester. The initiative works in partnership with local producers, retailers, and food businesses to ensure surplus food is used rather than wasted. These partnerships reduce disposal costs for businesses while delivering measurable environmental benefits. In Manchester, operations are powered by students from the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Salford, the University of Bolton, and the Royal Northern College of Music, alongside members of the Hindu community and other local groups. Together, they demonstrate how student-led action can create meaningful climate impact. Pickup and distribution in Manchester are coordinated by Haojun Shuai and Ramanujam Nagarajan, who manage volunteer schedules, oversee collections, and ensure rescued food is delivered promptly and safely. Their leadership supports efficient operations while keeping the group’s work firmly rooted in student engagement and community values. Food is collected and redistributed within 15 minutes of pickup, ensuring freshness and removing the need for storage facilities. All items are carefully inspected to meet food safety standards, and any unsuitable food is disposed of responsibly to minimise environmental impact. Coordination is managed through a dedicated WhatsApp group, providing real-time updates on collection times, locations, and quantities. Through this work, the Food Rescue Group at Manchester diverts significant volumes of food from landfill, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves valuable resources, and strengthens community connections. As the group continues to grow, it remains committed to showing how student-led climate action can drive real change, one meal, one volunteer, and one community at a time.

Weekly Hot Food Kitchen for Families, homeless, refugees and anyone in need. We provide free food parcels and have a place for people to get food from. We provides hot meals & food parcels to people in the community who are facing hardships and struggling with the cost of living. The service also offers a range of other support to their users including a clothing bank and making referrals to the local authority where needed and signposting to other third-party organisations. The hot food kitchen was a lifeline to many throughout the Covid pandemic period when over 700 meals were delivered per week to people at their home addresses. It has remained a vital lifeline to many within the Rochdale borough, particularly with the recent cost of living crisis. We serve an excess of 200 people each week: in addition, we deliver hot food to vulnerable people as well as delivering to hostels and homeless providers and referral families too. The hot food kitchen serves rice and curry as its staple, as well as offering pizza and chips to vegetarians and children. Tea and biscuits are also served. Hope for the Homeless operates from a dedicated community space where individuals in need can access food and essentials. Additionally, we organise outreach activities in Manchester, where volunteers distribute food bags to those experiencing homelessness. We identify service users through direct outreach, community referrals, and local partnerships. Our main focus is on individuals experiencing homelessness or those in need of basic essentials such as food and clothing. We assess their needs through conversations and observations during our outreach and service provision activities to ensure we deliver appropriate support. - Free distribution of food and clothing to those in need   - Volunteer-led packing and distribution of food bags   - Outreach trips to Manchester to deliver food to homeless individuals   - A welcoming community space where anyone in need can come and receive a bag filled with food and essentials All services provided by Hope for the Homeless are free of charge. We operate solely on donations and volunteer support to ensure that no one is turned away due to inability to pay.