B&Q Wigan

We are a community project in Wigan dedicated to reducing the amount of edible wasted food reaching landfill. We intercept surplus edible waste food and make it available to our community through our cafes and outlets. In addition we provide cooking classes and educational programs and work with schools and local organisations to educate people about food waste reduction. Although we often support people who need extra help, we are open to everyone. All support is beneficial, including financial help, as well as any food that we can use. 😄

The Brick is a small charity that delivers big results for the community it serves. As its name suggests, it provides a safe, solid building block for people in crisis to begin to construct a new life and become valuable members of society. Since it began life in 2008, The Brick has become a real force for social change in Wigan Borough. The charity’s original aim was to support homeless people and help them make the transition from the streets back into independent living. The Brick’s remit has developed and evolved significantly over the years and it adopts an holistic approach to supporting people in need. The organisation seeks not just to help get people out of crisis but to transforms lives through training and work-experience opportunities that lead to real independence. In a typical week The Brick sees nearly 200 people who need help with issues such as financial hardship, fuel poverty, homelessness and domestic violence. It speaks to more than twice this number over the phone. It delivers 150 food parcels, serves 50 hot lunches and provides training opportunities for more than 30 people. The Brick is seen as an honest broker between its clients and the statutory service providers both in the borough and beyond. Working closely with other public services, The Brick has become a fundamental part of the care and enablement pathway for people in crisis in the borough. The organisation has attracted a diverse range of volunteers who know that in order for the community to thrive, each individual member of that community must thrive. Ultimately, The Brick provides the fresh hope of a brighter future to those who are, for a variety of reasons, struggling with their current circumstances.

The Community Grocery supports those feeling the financial impact of COVID-19 and other circumstances to gain access to food and toiletry items. We know that many households in our local community have been feeling the financial impact of Covid-19 and so The Message Trust is partnering with Today's Community Church to bring the Community Grocery to Wigan! Local residents can get the shopping they need for themselves and their family at a fraction of the cost. For donations made via neighbourly we will be setting up a 'free items' station. Using surplus items from supermarkets as well as donations from businesses we are also helping to reduce food waste. Not only this, but all our members will have access to a range of free support services such as job clubs, computer training and much more. We currently support over 350 families in Wigan which represent over 1000 individuals.