M&S Handforth

Copperdale provides a regular and reliable Food Route service for all people suffering hardship and poverty in the Manchester area. We make no charge for this service. We have two vehicles on the road providing this service 7 days a week. Local people are involved at every stage of the process from pickup to distribution helping to provide local autonomy, greater self worth and just as importantly making sure the food goes exactly to the places it is most needed. We work with 50 plus families and individuals on a weekly basis which amounts to about 300 people a week. We own a 10 bedroom hostel and a community activity centre based at the heart of Wythenshawe. Our premises are EHO Registered and have a 5 Food Standard Rating. Copperdale was responsible for introducing the very first Fare Share Scheme into Manchester in 1996 which we ran independently for 10 years before passing the project over to Emerge in 2006. We have received many community awards including the overall Pride of Britain Award, the Pride of Manchester Award and more recently the Life Time Achievement Award.

We are an zero waste group who focus on the following 3 main areas: *Community Gardening and Promotion of Grow Your Own *Recycling Over 35 Hard to Recycle Items *Surplus Food, Community Deli, Clothes and Household Items We support on average 150 people a day with food for free and offer clothes to people in need for free also. People from all backgrounds can access our community shop and no referral is needed. It is for all of our community. Donations are accepted but not mandatory and this is clear to all who visit us. Soon we will be opening our soup kicthen, which will be using our overstock of surplus vegetables.. We offer surplus food from our community shop 6 days a week. We have the first community fridge and freezer in Cheshire East. We also take surplus food from local growers of excess fruits & vegetables. Large litter picks are arranged each month. Money raised all goes back into making more green spaces within our town and surrounding areas, helping the local community, running the Hive and shop where we offer free classes and talks.

Community in Action supports our neighbourhood by reducing food waste, sharing surplus, and promoting wellbeing. We aim to build connection, care for each other, and make our community stronger through practical help and learning. About Us Who we are Community in Action is a grassroots, volunteer-led initiative based in Brooklands. We work together to rescue good surplus food from supermarkets and share it with local people and community centres. Our vision is simple: a neighbourhood where food is not wasted, and everyone feels supported and connected, not just with food, but with emotional and practical care. We’re not a charity or a business, just neighbours taking action for each other, with love and purpose. What We Do Supermarket Surplus Collections We collect surplus food from local supermarkets, fresh fruit and veg, bakery goods, tins, dairy and more, that would otherwise go to waste. Redistribution We share this food directly with local community centres, families, and individuals. We also host local food sharing tables where anyone is welcome. Free Well-Being Training and Support In addition to food, we offer free well-being support to anyone in our network. This includes: • Drop-in listening spaces • Group support sessions • Training in emotional resilience, self-care, and compassionate communication We believe food feeds the body, and connection feeds the heart. Community Support Whether it’s helping a youth group, supporting a women’s circle, or offering care during difficult times, we show up with warmth and respect. No forms, no judgment , just neighbour-to-neighbour kindness. What People Say “We’re really grateful for what you do to support the centre in providing much needed food for the community, and it all goes really quickly.” — Community Centre Manager “The well-being session really helped me feel less alone. It gave me something to hold onto.” — Workshop participant