Lidl Fareham

Wickham Community Centre is a vibrant and busy community centre in rural Hampshire. We are developing a range of community projects to enhance the lives of local people. These include: • The Wickham Pantry - run by volunteers to provide discount food to its members with the aim of food justice for all. • Wickham Community Garden - an oasis of calm, providing gardening and learning opportunities and produce to village residents • Wickham Community Fridge - saving food from landfill • Meon Valley Tots - play and stay activities for parents and young children • Monday Lunch club - a monthly gathering for older residents • Wickham Flicks - a monthly cinema club, a world away from the multi-screen experience The centre is a charity and run by local people, for local people. Its facilities provide local groups and businesses a venue at an affordable price. The centre offers a wide range of opportunities, from crafts to education to sports and more, all locally and not for profit.

We collect surplus foods 5 evenings a week from the Co-op at Warsash.This is then sorted and displayed out on large tables for the community to see, they are very welcome to take anything they are needing free of charge. Some are kind enough to give a small donation which then comes back into C2U to help us keep running. C2U work with a range of different groups currently including veterans, where they host a daily breakfast drop in, a safe zone and a modelling club (airfix models etc). - On a Tuesday evening, they play host to “Sean’s Safe Space” for some informal mental health support for those feeling lonely or suicidal or in a poor mental space. - C2U also operate a no need to refer food bank, where you can drop in a get a weeks’ worth of shopping. - Community Spirit (Gosport Voluntary Action) have also started to use the building to run a group that helps to combat loneliness. - C2U also run a messy play for adult’s craft group - They also offer a counselling service and have 2 trained counsellors operating from the premises offering typically 6-8 sessions with a review after this time. - C2U helps to upskill people sourcing training and helping with CV writing and interview skills. - C2U signposts to other services in the community - Other ventures they are involved in include hosting children’s parties, a book club, links to a Ukrainian group, operating a Santa’s grotto over the festive period and linking in with a kids football team. Other things to consider: - Drop in daily operates from 830am-3pm but the venue can be opened at weekends and evenings with prior agreement. - A team of 8-10 volunteers help with the day to day running of the center including Gary managing Director and founder Debbie Safeguarding lead and Head Counsellor , Counsellor Emma (Angel) and substance misuse lead Phil - Sandra Business to Business and help with Paperwork for DWP etc - The group room is for use by the community and can be used by community groups for a donation (tea, coffee and soup is provided free of charge). - With the recent lottery funding a 10 year lease has been secured on the property. - The venue consists of several offices, a pantry, kitchen, toilet and a large group room space.

Our message is ‘no space for waste’. Our mission is to reduce great food ending up in landfill. we run three days a week from a community centre where people can access the food and also stay for tea, coffee and company.