Lidl Leamington Spa

We run activities, groups and projects from our base at The Gap Community Centre. We also manage and deliver Outreach Projects from venues at The Packmores Community Centre in Warwick and in community venues across Warwick with our Youth Team and in partnership with other charities, not-for-profits and community-interest-groups. We hire out our venues so that we can provide a wide range of support and interesting activities. This ranges from supporting families experiencing Holiday Hunger, individuals recovering from mental health traumas, bereavements and addiction, older adults groups to engage with building friendship groups, exercise activities, dementia support and crafting opportunities as well as a space to hire for birthday parties, polling days, or health clinics. Our timetables are varied and changeable, offering something for everyone 0-100yrs. The Gap’s Vision Statement A vibrant, happy community filled with respect, compassion and confidence, where aspirations are realised and friendships thrive. The Gap’s Mission Statement The Gap is leading the way to promote community togetherness and personal fulfilment by providing a safe and welcoming environment where people can meet and participate in social and physical activities; support groups; volunteering and learning with the aim of enhancing overall quality of life.

We are setting up a cost of living hub at the centre to run throughout the year. This will take place once a week aimed at members of the community who are in need of financial support. We anticipate 20 local residents to attend on a weekly basis. They will receive a free meal, cost of living activity (eg budgeting advice, cookery workshops) and also we give them access to the surplus supermarket food donations through yourself to take away with them.. We would not be charging for the food and would collect donations each week ourselves via our staff in time to distribute at the cost of living hub each Tuesday.

We run a soup kitchen Monday to Thursday to the homeless and vulnerable families in Leamington Spa, providing food, clothing, footwear, blankets and sleeping bags. During the soup kitchen, we also take every opportunity refer to other local agencies such as debt advisors, counselling, mentoring, detox rehabilitation centres, as well as to the local food Bank to get further food supplies. Helping Hands receive referrals from local agencies, such as children's centres, social services and schools regarding local individual families and individuals in need. These could be low income families, on benefits, women escaping domestic abuse, those in temporary accommodation or homeless and waiting to be rehoused. We are able to supply furniture, bedding, toiletries, clothing, toys, household goods and soft furnishings in order to help create a homely environment when they move in to their new space, or to fill their current house with essential items. We spend time getting to know some of our referrals. We want to create opportunities of work placements for our soup service users as well as working with already existing services, in order to generate a C.V, work experience, confidence and build self-esteem and self belief. We would like a building to call our own where we can run courses and develop skills. We are also in desperate need of more storage facilities for all of our donation's. This building will have space for sorting the donations and arranging them in to essential starter packs, kitchen starter packs and bathroom and bedroom sets. We will be involving some of our service users to create the packs so they feel engaged and a part of our helping hands team. The overall longterm vision for Helping hands is to be able to provide a detox facility as well as a home environment which would involve a structured programme for those struggling with life controlling issues such as depression, self harm, domestic violence, drug and alcohol usage and homelessness. The vision for this home would be to work with other local agencies in order to provide a programme of restoration..equipping and releasing back in to our community having completed an individually planned programmed for each attendant, which work include counselling, a works programme, skills learning, group sessions e.g learning to love yourself, building self esteem, handling yoir finances, as well as helping with the running of the home and learning essential life skill's.