Lidl Thirsk

Boroughbridge Lions and Boroughbridge Community Care have come together to jointly fund Boroughbridge Community Larder which operates as a non-profit organisation.. However, we couldn't have set up the Larder without the generous offer of a room in which to house it in Boroughbridge Methodist Church. The Community Larder's aim is to reduce food waste and stop good food going to landfill where it would create methane, a greenhouse gas which is bad for the environment. In total we have managed to recruit a total of 36 volunteers from the local community, Boroughbridge Lions and Boroughbridge Community Care and we have assigned them into 3 teams. Team 1 collects surplus food from local supermarkets, independent grocers and farm shops. The allotment society and local householders also bring their glut of fruit & vegetables to us. Team 2 arranges the food on the shelves, fridge and freezer. Team 3 greets and escorts our visitors around the Larder where they select the food they want. We open up the Community Larder every Wednesday from 12.00 - 13.00 and stress that anyone can give and anyone can take food. The Larder has been open 4 years in that time we have redistributed 64 tonnes of food so we are doing our bit for the environment. We receive up to 82 visitors on the day we are open. To date we have had a total of 12245 visitors come to the Larder representing 28445 householders. It is lovely to hear the feedback: "This is a lifeline for me" and "I have made a new friend at the Larder". Each week we post on all of the local villages' Facebook pages reminding everyone that they can come and have a free bag of food and that our aim is to reduce waste in order to help the environment. In addition to this the Larder has attracted interest from a local radio station which has conducted several live interviews informing local residents about the Larder. And it's down to a local online newspaper which put out a plea for a place in which to house the Larder that we managed to secure the Methodist Church - Rev Ian Pruden was in the middle of making Sunday dinner when he read the article and immediately got in touch!

Opened in December 2023, our Social Supermarket “Pantry and Produce”, located within our High Street hub "UpFront", has quickly established itself as a much-needed service in our community. It differs from a foodbank in that it is neither means-tested nor dependent on referral, is truly non-discriminatory and therefore open to all. Many of those struggling to cope with the rise in the cost of living need to make their money go further but are ineligible or reluctant to use a foodbank. The social supermarket model works on a membership basis and offers an opportunity to choose the contents of your shopping basket for yourself. £3 buys 8 items and £5 buys 15 items. You may shop twice per week. The income from the pantry is used to purchase further stock with a small contribution towards overheads. In addition we run recipe swaps and demonstrations with tastings to help people learn to cook from scratch and redistribute goods for free that are close to their best- before- dates. When local retailers donate on an ad hoc basis, we offer their provisions free of charge from the reception area in "UpFront". Anybody walking into our premises may help themselves. Our aim is to reduce food waste and improve access to food alongside wrap around support. This is one of a range of practical interventions including one-to-one and group social activities, transport provision and supported volunteering. This social supermarket model allows individuals to make their own choices and pay towards their purchases. It recognises the need for self-respect and freedom of choice and complements the foodbank model.

Our vision is that local communities in and around Thirsk will become stronger and more resilient and people living in those communities feel that they belong, are connected and live independent, active and fulfilled lives. Here are just some of the things we do: - We work with people whose mental health can be poor - Our Food Bank helps to feed hungry individuals and families - Our key worker team work with people and help them through more challenging times - Our shop helps save the planet and provides amazing furniture at very low prices - Our projects work with older people, vulnerable women, men, those living with dementia and others - We run a Community Car Scheme to help those without transport get to important appointments and events - We run a Meals on Wheels Service - We run a Community Furniture Re-Use Store