M&S Ferndown

We are a non-profit food bank centred around Ferndown and West Moors, in Dorset. Our Team of volunteers provide daily food parcels to families in food poverty around the area. We were originally based around Sainsbury's Ferndown store, but over the years and through Neighbourly we have expanded to accept donations from other companies like, Southern Co-op, Aldi, Lidl, and M&S. That said, anyone wishing to donate to the Food Project can give items in arrangement with us, as log as the items can satisfy our food handling policy and can be distributed immediately, as we have no storage facilities. Our Partner stores allow us to access the non-sellable items for redistribution in the food banks, and our volunteers sort and deliver the food straight to the families in need. This partnership has endured over a decade of co-operation, helping families with disabilities as well as low-income households through many a rough time in their lives, for as long as it takes for them to get back on their feet. Families in need are referred to us through various local organisations, from churches to community help groups and we are careful to identify those in real need. We are always on the lookout for more volunteers, Feel free to contact us on our Facebook page or at: ferndownfoodproject@gmail.com for more information!

Poole Waste Not Want Not, (PWNWN) is a registered charity supplying food to members of the community to those people and their families that have insufficient disposable income and need support in coping with life. Every day of the week we collect food from different supermarkets and display it in our shop on the High Street. All food surplus collection is FREE to our members, giving them nutrition choices that they may not be able to afford. We operate Monday to Saturday from 10.30. a.m. – 3 p.m. This enables our registered members the choice of food, fresh fruits, vegetables, frozen, chilled, toiletries, and treats they would not normally be able to afford. This leads to a greater sense of dignity, choice, and control and facilitates budgeting skills. As well as providing access to affordable food PWNWN is developing other services such as menu planning, budgeting, and other activities to meet the needs of our client group and signposting if necessary. PWNWN relies heavily on volunteers (currently 32) who help with food collection, sorting, shelve stacking, till operations, pricing and labelling of frozen food, etc. Many of these are clients/users and PWNWN sees that providing volunteering opportunities, support and training can help with increasing confidence, self-esteem, and skills, so assisting in an improvement in their health, well-being, life, and working circumstances. Therefore, volunteers will be provided with structured support and direction to ensure they achieve real positive experiences and outcomes from their volunteering. Social supermarket: We collect surplus food from our local supermarkets to reduce food waste and then display it Free alongside our other food. Members can then visit the shop during opening times, chose what food they wish, and then take it to the till where they are asked to donate the suggested sums displayed on the shelves (about50/ 75% off the normal retail price). This leads to a greater sense of dignity, choice, and control and facilitates budgeting skills. As well as providing access to affordable food PWNWN is developing other services such as cooking techniques, budgeting, and other activities to meet the needs of our client group relating to food insecurity. Clients can also be referred via our local crisis team or food banks who provide in extreme cases an E- code to collect free food parcels, containing fresh and essential items, we will also signpost them to other service they may find helpful such as the wardrobe foundation for clothes, Community coffee shop: An area to provide work experience for our volunteers and a setting to encourage social interaction, informal activities, more formal support group activities, etc. Training: Our volunteers are our best resource, the benefit they gain from volunteering, is vital to our community the impact this has on our beneficiary to gain skills, provides a sense of purpose, and gives an opportunity to practice and develop social skills.

Creating community resilience is our mission and passion. We support the local and regional community, whether through financial, social or practical means. We believe that a community and a person thrives when connected, supported and cared for. Our support services include: a community larder and food bank, baby, pet, and hygiene bank, benefits and welfare advice service, free community café and stay and play sessions, befriending, shopping for housebound/disabled, a uk first and only medicine bank, and numerous community events for all such as our Easter and Christmas trails. Our wonderful pool of just under 100 dedicated volunteers enable our community to thrive and many friendships and support networks to form.