ALDI YORK - FULFORD RD

I am reusable have our very own community food bank here in York. We have been going for over 2 plus years now and started up due to covid due to the demand. We feed over a 100 plus people a day 7 days a week. But also trying to combat food waste by reusing food in the community.

We collect would-be-waste food every day of the week and then use this food to cook a community meal the following day at Tang Hall Community Centre. Any uncooked surplus food is available on our sharing stall for customers to take away to cook at home or collected by Tang Hall Primary School, Haxby Road School and Peasholme homeless shelter for distribution. In this way 1,000kg of would-be-waste food will be eaten by human beings at each yourcafe event. The yourcafe ethos is pay-as-you-feel-able (PAYF) meaning that everyone is able contribute either time, money or skills. Everyone working for yourcafe is a volunteer and contributes to the cafe as they feel appropriate. Volunteering is a good way to improve self-esteem, developing self-confidence and social skills. We would like to recruit 10 new volunteers who are passionate about reducing food waste. Depending upon produce availability we create "soup" bags to take away which contain a simple recipe and the ingredients to cook a healthy soup. We also make chutneys and jams from any gluts and distribute them via the sharing stall. Any budding cooks are encouraged to help cook or take "jam" bags home to make their own. By providing simple recipes and wholesome produce we expect to increase confidence in the kitchen, stimulate an interest in new tastes and foster a desire to reduce food waste. Aims each week To collect 1,000kg of would-be-waste food from local businesses. To provide a community meal. To redistribute any surplus back into the local community. To provide a regular meeting place where all are valued. To encourage new friendships. To reduce social isolation and create community spirit. Aims over 2021 To reduce food waste in the City of York. To create dialogue between local businesses and the City of York council via the OnePlanetYork initiative. To recruit 10 new volunteers To provide at least 50 yourcafe events at Tang Hall Community Centre. Our mission tackling food waste; promoting community spirit

WHAT DO WE DO? FIND OUT MORE ABOUT POPPY’S STORY. Have you heard anything about what we do at Help Brings Hope, the things we give out or the people we work with? There are a bunch of reasons why people need our help and this is just one example. Poppy was a single mum being moved into temporary accommodation, she had been part of an abusive relationship and came to us scared, feeling up against the clock and more vulnerable than ever. It was the first time she had heard of us and was looking after a young baby at the time. Poppy first got in touch with us at Help Brings Hope after her and her family were moved into a local hostel, where she had been left with nothing for her and nothing for her baby after having fled a domestic violence. She was panicking and scared as it was the evening at this point and she had no food or nappies, or formula milk to feed her baby. We didn’t want her going out to pick up items on the evening, as she was already scared and feeling alone. I know this from experience, I don’t know if you have ever had somebody that is so reliant on you and no way to care for them. She soon felt comfortable talking to me, especially as I had gone through domestic violence myself and my empathy helped her to feel more at ease. At Help Brings Hope, we have supported her with clothing, food, toiletries, bedding to ensure that none of them have to go without the essentials. And now in 2021, she is moving out of the hostel and into a flat with her baby, a fresh start for them both with new memories and at Help Brings Hope, we are honored to have the pleasure of being part of this journey. Before we say good bye, we will be leaving these two with one final gift and making sure that they have the best possible start in their new home and will be there, by their sides while they get set up in their new home .