M&S Warwick

We run a soup kitchen Monday to Thursday to the homeless and vulnerable families in Leamington Spa, providing food, clothing, footwear, blankets and sleeping bags. During the soup kitchen, we also take every opportunity refer to other local agencies such as debt advisors, counselling, mentoring, detox rehabilitation centres, as well as to the local food Bank to get further food supplies. Helping Hands receive referrals from local agencies, such as children's centres, social services and schools regarding local individual families and individuals in need. These could be low income families, on benefits, women escaping domestic abuse, those in temporary accommodation or homeless and waiting to be rehoused. We are able to supply furniture, bedding, toiletries, clothing, toys, household goods and soft furnishings in order to help create a homely environment when they move in to their new space, or to fill their current house with essential items. We spend time getting to know some of our referrals. We want to create opportunities of work placements for our soup service users as well as working with already existing services, in order to generate a C.V, work experience, confidence and build self-esteem and self belief. We would like a building to call our own where we can run courses and develop skills. We are also in desperate need of more storage facilities for all of our donation's. This building will have space for sorting the donations and arranging them in to essential starter packs, kitchen starter packs and bathroom and bedroom sets. We will be involving some of our service users to create the packs so they feel engaged and a part of our helping hands team. The overall longterm vision for Helping hands is to be able to provide a detox facility as well as a home environment which would involve a structured programme for those struggling with life controlling issues such as depression, self harm, domestic violence, drug and alcohol usage and homelessness. The vision for this home would be to work with other local agencies in order to provide a programme of restoration..equipping and releasing back in to our community having completed an individually planned programmed for each attendant, which work include counselling, a works programme, skills learning, group sessions e.g learning to love yourself, building self esteem, handling yoir finances, as well as helping with the running of the home and learning essential life skill's.

Beyond (formerly Make Lunch) provides weekly 'hot and healthy' meals and fun activities in school holidays for families receiving benefits-related free school meals, and others just above the threshold. In summer 2026 we completed our eleventh summer of activities. There is a growing sense of community and belonging in our group. Additionally, we continue to provide vulnerable families with surplus food to make at least one hot meal a week, and encourage them to collect from us at Chase Meadow Community Centre for Beyond Basics. Thanks to generous grants from Lidl, we have been able to provide periodic supemarket vouchers to a growing number of families. Lidl customers' toy donations were also given to families, much to their delight. Our accredited volunteer team from Warwick Network Church, St Michael's strives to support currently over twenty vulnerable families in our area. With the return of Universal Credit to pre-pandemic level, some of our parents have been able to find low-paid jobs, so still need support in a variety of ways beyond just food. We have helped them to source beds, mattresses, white goods and school uniform, and have been able to signpost some to other agencies for funding for school trips etc.

Run entirely by volunteers, we are open each week on Fridays (9pm-10:30), Saturdays (7:30pm - 10am), and on Sunday evenings (7:30pm-9pm). We serve dinner and breakfast, a food parcel service, as well as providing a safe, warm place for our guests to spend the night. LWS Night Shelter is more than just a roof over the heads of our guests. It is a place where they can feel safe, and be treated with dignity and respect. We aim to foster a sense of community that welcomes people from all walks of life. As well as our weekly service, we organise fundraising events, and are always in search of new ways to connect with the local community.