Lidl Manchester Prestwich

We collect waste food and share the surplus food with our community in Prestwich, to reduce food waste and help people to feed themselves and their families. It is open to the public. All the food is free. The fridge is located at Prestwich library and open Tue- Fri 10-4.30pm Sun 10 -1pm

About Us: The Redeemed Christian Church of God – Strongtower Miracle Arena a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), is a faith-based charity located in Manchester, UK. Since our establishment in 2010, we have been deeply committed to transforming lives through compassion, community service, and spiritual support. Our mission is to uplift vulnerable individuals and families, especially those affected by poverty, domestic abuse, and social isolation. Through our flagship initiative, **Project Haven**, we provide essential services that address food insecurity, energy poverty, and personal safety. Our Vision: Haven Project – Providing Food, Warmth, and Safety Project Haven is our community outreach initiative designed to meet the urgent needs of low-income families and vulnerable individuals across Greater Manchester. The project focuses on three core areas: 1. Food Security 2. Warm Spaces 3. Safe Spaces for Victims of Domestic Abuse These services are not just about meeting basic needs—they are about restoring dignity, building resilience, and fostering hope. 1. Tackling Food Insecurity Food poverty is a growing crisis in our communities. Many families are unable to afford nutritious meals due to the rising cost of living. Our **foodbank** is a lifeline for these households. We provide: - Weekly food parcels with fresh and non-perishable items - Emergency food support for individuals in crisis - Nutritional guidance and signposting to other support services We partner with local businesses, schools, and other foodbanks to source surplus food and reduce waste. Our goal is to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. 2. Providing Warmth During Winter The cost of energy has skyrocketed, leaving many unable to heat their homes. Our Warm Spaces initiative offers: - Heated community rooms open during the coldest months - Hot meals, drinks, and blankets - Social interaction to combat loneliness and isolation These spaces are more than just warm—they are welcoming, inclusive, and safe. They help prevent cold-related illnesses and reduce pressure on the NHS and social care services. 3. Creating Safe Spaces for Victims of Domestic Abuse Domestic violence is a silent crisis that affects many in our community. Our Safe Spaces provide: - Immediate refuge for victims fleeing abuse - Access to trained counsellors and support workers - Help with contacting family, friends, and emergency services - Referrals to long-term support and housing We work closely with local authorities, police, and victim support organisations to ensure a coordinated and compassionate response. Why Our Work Matters The cost-of-living crisis has intensified the challenges faced by vulnerable groups. Our services are more in demand than ever. We are: Feeding families who would otherwise go hungry Warming homes that would otherwise be cold Protecting lives that would otherwise be at risk Our work saves lives, promotes mental and physical well-being.

Our aims and values in this project are; Reducing the amount of food that goes to waste Around 15 million tonnes of food is wasted every year in the UK alone, and the vast majority of that food is perfectly edible. The lowest carbon, most sustainable thing we can do with food that is going to go to waste is put it in a belly, any belly, rather than a bin, any bin (landfill, anaerobic digestion, animal feed, or compost). For every tonne of food that we save from going to waste, we save around 4.2 tonnes of CO2e from being emitted, and around 10% of the UK’s carbon footprint comes from food that is produced but never eaten. Providing access to enough food and great food for all Open Kitchen MCR is, among many other things, a live experiment in alternative economic models. The project operated for 3 years on a pay-as-you-feel basis, inviting members of the public to decide how much they would pay for their meal in a huge range of settings. While this model had huge social and environmental positives, it proved financially unsustainable. Open Kitchen MCR’s catering social enterprise operates on a pay-it-forward basis. The project offers catering at set prices, with one rate for private and corporate customers, a lower rate for established not-for-profit groups, and free or heavily subsidised catering for grassroots groups who are supporting vulnerable adults. Dignity, choice and social inclusion - a positive community future Our pay-as-you-feel model (employed at our city centre restaurant, open from Sep 2017 - Aug 2018) offered an innovative, inclusive model that deliberately bucked the trend towards dedicated “food poverty project” models. There are a number of projects that target people in food poverty, and in our current economic climate they are essential. However, the fact remains that by targeting people in food poverty, we also further separate and isolate them. Open Kitchen MCR aims to develop an alternative model that can evolve along side these projects, and offer a more inclusive option to bring a wider range of people together. Unfortunately, we found it wasn’t possible to support pay-as-you-feel financially, for a range of reasons. Our current outside catering venture operates on a pay-it-forward model, and supports grassroots groups that offer dignity, choice and support to vulnerable adults. We hope to continue our experiment into alternative economic models, and trial a new socially inclusive cafe / restaurant space in 2020.