Lidl Colchester

We are not for profit Community Organisation. We support children, families on low income and run sports, wellbeing and mental health classes. The food will be part of our Tea and Chat zone and will help the elderly, families on low income to grab some food and chat in a safe place. We are based in the Centre of Colchester. We are the beat of the town!

From August 2021, we welcome 32 families who came from Afghanistan after the Taliban problem in Kabul. We work with the local churches and local community groups to support us with donations for newly arrived families. The churches have been very supportive for the mission. St. John the Baptist church at Mt Bures, Hope Community Witham, Castle Methodist church, Fordham church and most of the local community groups in Colchester. We visit the newly arrived families after they got home from the refugee centre, which they provided them with basic items such as: fridge, freeze, washing machine, cooker, sofas and a bed. We are involved with these newly arrived families to provide them with all their needs, like: clothes, shoes, toys for the children, food in a weakly basis, kitchen devices, beddings, gardening tools, hoovers, mirrors and hair driers and we visit them regularly to support them and give them advise for education and NHS and the rest of the rules in UK. We also connected them with families through churches, so they can befriend them rather than being isolated. All of our services to our clients are provided free of charge.

We now have our premises as Tiptree Community Hub and as part of the hub services, we provide a community fridge and larder and a pre-loved school uniform service. We have developed relationships with many local supplier's in the village and we have 5 supermarket chains as well as a local Egg farm, Butcher's and Bakers that support our community fridge. We are also fortunate to the support of Wilkin and Sons in the village who make world famous jams and preserves as well as Perrywoods, the renowned garden centre, as well as the support from the neighbourly food suppliers. . We have many enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about helping promote the prevention of food waste as well as wanting to help those in need. We are gravely concerned about the rising prices for food, energy and fuel which is making many families, elderly and individuals have to choose between eating and fueling their homes and vehicles. We want to bolster the work of our amazing food bank in the village which is stretched to its limits and provide fresh food and advice on recipes to utilse food to its potential. We would welcome all support to access as many supplier's as possible. This includes donations from residents such as vegetables from gardens or excess food for example when they go away on holiday. Tiptree a hub is developing its services and will be a warm safe space, as well as providing a community cafe to help reduce social isolation. Being part of the community hub and fridge is not means tested and is available to all residents. It will not take away from the amazing work of our local food bank, it will add to it by providing fresh food and vegetables.