ALDI BISHOP AUCKLAND

We are a non-profit registered organisation that works from our community hub in St. Helens Auckland. Since taking over the venue, we have developed our services to include activities that aim to improve physical and emotional health, upskill, and educate, as well as reduce financial and social barriers. These activities and services include: Various Social/Learning Groups Cooking workshops Groups/events that involve food horticulture School holiday projects for families Eco Market Community events Community partnerships with external organisations and local authorities. Training opportunities Various volunteer opportunities Our social groups aim to enrich lives by offering activities that bring people together, build friendships, and support networks. We also aim to build new skills and offer educational opportunities, often working with other organisations and authorities in our area. From our groups, we can build trust, understanding, and thus support where needed. Food has always been a big part of what we are about, from our cooking workshops that are designed to inspire everyone to make better food choices through practical and fun sessions aimed at all ages and abilities, to nutritious meals and snacks created mostly from surplus foods and served within our social groups. Our Eco Market is an inclusive project aimed at helping to reduce food waste through the redistribution of surplus foods to our community. As an extension of this, foods are also shared with other organisations and schools. From this project, we can also actively reduce and educate others about the environmental impact of food waste and how a good diet can improve health. We do this through the provision of advice, guidance, recipes, and information. We want to build a stronger safer and more cohesive community, where opportunities for self-development and growth are accessible for all so that we can enhance the quality of life for residents in our local community.

This is the incorporated successor Charity to the following: Charity number 234071 - Charity for Roman Catholic purposes in the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and Charity number 235686 - Hexham and Newcastle Diocesan Trust (1947). promotion of the Roman Catholic faith by supporting clergy, providing pastoral work in parishes and in communities, providing life-long Christian education. Neighbourly food is distributed to individuals and families in need. One person collects food from the designated store then a group of volunteers do the distribution. There is no definite schedule of who gets what so that people do not become dependent on donations but receive what is offered when it is available as an extra support. We sometimes work through other organisations, especially schools, who collect food from us to distribute to families they know who are in need.

Our charity supports individuals and families within the local area to navigate through times of crisis and difficulty. We offer a variety of support such as: Debt and benefit help. Activities to help with building confidence and resilience. Activities to reduce isolation. Crisis meals Foodbank Food scheme -providing food parcels to local families Links with local organisations such as Health watch,Waythrough, Durham Money Advice and Age UK Computers for public use