Lidl Lewisham

Community Care Collective C.I.C. is a volunteer-led organisation with a simple mission: Zero Waste, Zero Hunger. We rescue good surplus food and share it with people in our community who need it. Our volunteers collect food from local supermarkets, cafés and other providers through Neighbourly, FareShare and Caboodle. We provide free food parcels to families and individuals, and share food with local schools, community groups and partner organisations. People reach us through word of mouth and referrals from schools and community organisations. We stock a community cupboard where people can access food anonymously and with dignity. Our fortnithgly "Share-Wood Saturdays" bring neighbours together to share food, and "Longthornton Larder" will open on 3 October 2026 as another fortnightly community food share. Each week, the food we redistribute is equivalent to approximately 2,250 meals. By connecting surplus food with local need, we help reduce waste, ease pressure on households and make sure good food is shared.

The community centre is based on Middle Park estate, a local authority housing estate in Eltham. The centre is often referred to as the heart of the community. Our day starts at 7am when we open to provide breakfast for some 60 + children and young people. Children have a healthy, nutritious breakfast that helps to set them up for their school day. We collect children from school, they have the opportunity to do their homework, take part in activities and are given a hot meal. When the children go to school there are a wide range of activities for older people, we have a community café serving hot food four days a week. Older people are able to meet up and take part in activities, this helps combat loneliness. People are able to access a wide range of information and support at the centre, or just a cup of tea and a chat when it’s needed.

CGL stands for Change Grow Live, a UK-based charity that provides free and confidential services to help people make positive changes in their lives, particularly those struggling with drugs, alcohol, or other challenges. We work closely with those in the criminal justice system, those who are rough sleeping and we work a lot on outreach. Our mission is to help people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. The vision we're working towards is to develop, deliver and share a whole person approach that changes society.