M&S Cirencester

Nobody who wants company should be without it. We want to make this happen by ensuring that: We have operated for 8 years with an aim help reduce loneliness and isolation via our Lunch Club and Day Centre, providing affordable hot food and companionship. Our participants are signposted via social services or living in the locality. Engaging in communal social and health activities to enhance a sense of wellbeing. For many members our lunch clubs’ interactions are the most valued social participation they have outside of a family settings. For those members without family support, our lunch club is a vital source of a support system, that helps to maintain their sense of connectedness, improves confidence and overall general health and wellbeing, we run various games, quizzes, raffles and events. We charge £2.00 for a full English breakfast and £5 for lunch. We are partnering with RVS and local colleges providing supervised placements and volunteer posts for individuals with learning difficulties. Whilst our Small community group is being encouraged to scale-up activities, we continue to face challenges in recruiting more volunteers.

We are a small, enthusiastic group who are experienced with store to door surplus food collections. The group has been set up to help in tackling hunger and food waste. Surplus food is collected from local supermarkets that we partner with and redistribute to those that can benefit. We have been assisting local families in the Cheltenham and surrounding areas and there is no charge for what our group provides. Our volunteers give up their spare time during the day and also into the evenings going out of their way to help others and always with a smile. Due to the donations that we are currently receiving there is no means testing and we provide by way of care parcels. We assist families who are currently going through crisis due to job loss, ill health and on low income. There is no judgement and we believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect. At times there are excess amounts of one food item and after supplementing the care parcels we will distribute to large groups of people that can make use of these such as key workers, breakfast clubs or schools. We believe in these times affected by the cost of living crisis that no good food should be wasted and instead given to those that can make use of it.

Cirencester Opportunity Group is an independent charity providing integrated play experiences and education for children and support for their families. We were founded in 1973 and have been providing enriching and stimulating learning experiences to generations of children for almost 50 years. We offer family support for children aged 0-4 and a child-centred approach to learning through the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. We are situated in beautiful grounds in Beeches Road, Cirencester and are proud of the facilities that we offer. These include a large playroom, soft play, a therapy room, paved and grassed areas and a woodland learning area to explore. We want to create opportunities for children with special needs and disabilities and for their families. We'll make a difference to the lives of children and families, so they don't feel that they are at a disadvantage because of their health needs, life circumstances or income. We also want to share healthy food with our children and families to support healthy food choices within the family home through access to healthy foods and through experiences.