Lidl Beccles Common Lane North

We serve a no strings attached meal for the homeless and marginalised in society. Our friendly drop in meal takes place on Tuesdays from 10am until 12noon. During the meal, we offer food parcels and clothing vouchers to anyone in need. We look to our Christian values, helping those who need help as Christ would have done, and has done for us. We normally have between 30-50 members sharing a meal with us at our Tuesday sessions, It is a drop in service, so members come at any time between 10-12, and stay for as long as they like.

Woodworks Art Cafe offers arts and crafts and support groups, including cat-therapy, as social prescribing, to relieve the pressures on the NHS and other services. We are open to the public for coffee/tea, cake, toasted sandwiches, pancakes and tayaki's, but also run dedicated arts and craft sessions and support groups (ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, Fybromyalgia, LGBTQ+) and seated exercises. In addition to offer private sessions for groups of 10 or more and private parties all with the aim to address mental health, social isolation etc. Some groups are funded whilst others are self-funded or free. The term 'social prescribing' is mainly used in relation to primary care (general practice). It describes the practice of referring patients to social activities instead of or as complementary to more 'conventional' forms of medicine. The therapeutic value of arts and crafts has long been established. Studies shows that art allows people to forget about their health or mental health condition for a while, allowing them to focus on the positive things in their life. Being wholly focused on a craft project can have an effect similar to meditation, which research suggests can help in the management of anxiety and depression.

In 2020, Beccles Primary Academy set up a free school shop to help support our families. This proved vital during lockdown, when we were delivering weekly to support around 20 families. Since re-opening after lockdown, we have been opening 3 mornings a week, to continue to support our families. The free shop is in its own dedicated classroom, with a separate entrance to make it easily accessible to families. Our free shop includes tins, snack, household products, hygiene products, toys, games, books, school uniform and children’s clothes. There is no charge for any of our items. We rely on donations from charities such as Waveney Foodbank, Greengrow Farm and the Cats Protection League, and supermarkets such as Lidl and Morrisons. As we have been donated a fridge and freezer, we would love to provide to fresh or frozen goods. Our school kitchen also donates any surplus cereal, milk and fruit to the school foodbank. In addition, our shop this provides a central point where parents/carers can come for a chat with the Family Well-being and Mental Health Lead in the school. We would like to develop this further to offer support groups, training opportunities, mental health information and coffee mornings. Ofsted quoted in 2022, that ‘During the National lockdown, staff supported the most vulnerable families exceptionally well. For example the schools foodbank continues to be in regular use’.