M&S Ipswich

A group of Churches uniting to alleviate food poverty by operating "Top Up" Shops from various Churches in Ipswich through redistribution of surplus food and non food items. Also creating an access point for people to use the services of outside agencies such as debt advice, healthy living, and general wellbeing.

We are providing cheap affordable food using a unique format. While we have also ran a foodbank for the last five years and will continue to do so, we have found that there is a very significant percentage of those in need who do not use it for various reasons. Our unique BASIC Community Pop-Up shop idea has transformed the lives of many suffering from food insecurity. We now run four a week in Felixstowe (five fortnightly) and have now opened in Ipswich are six locations. The food, which is primarily supermarket excess, is offered to absolutely anybody who wishes to come along. We do not have any means tests or referral needs. They are literally open to anybody at all. A full list of the present locations can be found on our website under 'pop-up shops'. The result of the five years in Felixstowe has been an amazing reduction in the amount of referrals for food bank assistance as people in need know that they can go and choose the food they need from the pop-up's without any invasive questions of any kind. During 2020, despite the pandemic restrictions, we opened at six sites across the town of Ipswich and in 2021 we started to open at sites in more rural area's of Suffolk. To date we are open in Newmarket and in the village of Debenham. More sites are in the advance discussion stage.

We feed people food and hope, one parcel at a time. We are a community-focused organisation supporting local people and families experiencing financial hardship, crisis or unexpected circumstances. Our support is available across the stages of life, from pre-birth and new parents through to older people, with support tailored to individual and household needs. We redistribute good-quality surplus food to people who need it, helping to reduce food waste while providing practical support to households experiencing food insecurity. We also distribute baby essentials, nursery items, children's items and small household items and furniture to people and families who need them. Our support is particularly important for people who have had to leave their homes in difficult circumstances, including those fleeing domestic abuse, as well as individuals and families affected by emergencies such as house fires or other unexpected events where essential belongings may have been lost. Where possible, we provide practical, physical help alongside donated items. This can include helping people access and move essential items, preparing and delivering support, and assisting with the practical challenges that arise when someone is rebuilding their home and life following a crisis. We identify people who may benefit from support through community connections, referrals, direct contact and local networks. We aim to respond to genuine need with dignity, compassion and without judgement. Where appropriate, we also signpost people to other relevant services and sources of support. Our services and donated goods are provided free of charge to people receiving support. Our work is supported by volunteers, community partnerships and donations. By connecting surplus resources with people who need them, we aim to reduce waste, alleviate hardship and strengthen our local community. We believe that support is about more than putting food on a table. It is about helping people feel seen, supported and able to move forward, one parcel and one act of practical help at a time.