ALDI REDCAR

Far more than a food bank, we are at the heart of the Redcar community, offering support, courses and food to those who need it most. Who we are and what we do... The Redcar Community Grocery can be described as a bridge between supermarkets and food banks. Whilst people don’t need to be referred, we are here to help people who need it most. Often our members will be people who are unable to be referred to a food bank, or who are unable to feed their family for a full week using food banks. The Community Grocery allows members to choose their own food 3x a week for just £4 a shop. In this shop they can get bakery items, frozen food, fruit and veg, shelf items, fridge items and non-food goods, worth around £40. On top of this, we also offer support to help individuals develop new skills including money management, applying for jobs and cooking classes. We’ve seen so many of our members gain employment on the back of the help they’ve received. How getting involved helps your community… Product surplus: There is 9.5 million tonnes of edible food that goes to landfill each year in the UK. We want to reduce food poverty for our local people, and help you achieve zero waste to landfill, by redistributing surplus food and products. Make sure to contact our team to find out how we can work together. Financial donations: Your financial donations help us keep our doors open and the shelves stocked. Whilst we reply heavily on food donations, there are some foods we have to buy fresh, and your donations contribute to this food provision. With your help, we can keep families fed. Volunteering: The Community Grocery relies on volunteers to help manage and run the store, as well as host classes which aim to develop skills such as money management, cooking classes or Alpha. We’d love you to join us in helping our community and see exactly what a difference The Community Grocery is having in Redcar.

Footprints in the Community is a charitable incorporated organisation which aims to establish a variety of services under one umbrella to help address isolation and poverty in Redcar and surrounding areas, and to provide a network of support to local people and organisations. Our projects include: - Redcar Area Foodbank provides emergency food and support to anyone facing food poverty due to a crisis. Our centres offer a warm welcome and a parcel containing food for at least three days. Clients are also offered a warm drink and snack. Each centre has a Citizens Advice Outreach Worker to offer 1:1 suppor and advice and to signpost to other services. - First Steps - provides pre-loved baby equipment and/or clothing packs to families who are struggling to get the baby essentials together. - The Shed - The Shed is a sociable woodworking and creative space where members can work on their own projects in an informal and supportive setting. It's perfect for anyone with a passion for woodworking, or who's always wanted to give it a go but never had access to the tools to try. We have a wide range of hand and bench tools and our staff and skilled volunteers are on hand to provide guidance. - Next Step Shop - Our Next Step Shop can be a lifeline for anyone who regularly struggles to afford food. They are easy to use, low cost shops which members can visit once a week and pay a small subsidised fee to choose a selection of food items from the shelves. There's also non-food items, sanitary products and often a choice of bread and fresh produce which members can also select from. - Footprints Café - is a community café run that offers high-quality meals at low cost to people in the local community. - Lunch Box Project - Our lunchbox project provides opportuniities for families of primary-age children to enjoy fun activities together, keeping little ones busy during school holidays without breaking the bank. Our friendly and approachable staff and volunteers run fun sessions of crafts and lego, whilst our guest providers offer the chance to try something new, like amazing circus skills. We help fill tummies too, as every child is offered a tasty and nutritious breakfast, snack or lunch. - Our New Start project provides packs of small homeware items to people who are struggling with the essentials of setting up a home. People can be referred by a Foodbank centre, Next Step Shop or any of our other referral agencies. Items included in New Start packs: bedding, towels, pans, utensils, cutlery, crockery, kettles, toasters and cleaning packs. - Reflections Dementia Support is a safe, friendlly group for people living with dementia, their families and carers. However dementia has touched your life, join our friendly and compassionate volunteers for a cuppa and a chat at one of our regular get togethers.

The Food Rescue Group in Middlesbrough takes a practical, community-led approach to tackling food waste and promoting sustainable living across the city. In the context of climate change, resource depletion, and growing environmental pressures, the importance of this work has never been clearer. A central focus of the group is addressing food waste, a major contributor to the unnecessary loss of resources and methane emissions from landfill. Tackling this issue is both environmentally essential and socially important, as surplus food can provide meaningful support to local families and individuals. The group works closely with local producers and retailers to ensure surplus food is put to good use rather than discarded. These partnerships help businesses reduce disposal costs while delivering clear environmental benefits. Pickup and distribution in Middlesbrough are coordinated by Sarah Russell and Adriana Dunose, who organise volunteer schedules, oversee collections, and ensure rescued food is delivered promptly, safely, and to where it is most needed. The initiative is driven by dedicated volunteers, including students from local universities and members of the wider community. Together, they collect and redistribute surplus food shortly after it becomes available, helping to preserve freshness and remove the need for long-term storage. All food collected is carefully inspected to ensure it meets strict safety standards. Any items that cannot be shared are disposed of responsibly to minimise environmental impact. Volunteer coordination takes place through a dedicated WhatsApp group, providing real-time updates on collection times, locations, and quantities. By diverting significant volumes of food from landfill, the Food Rescue Group in Middlesbrough is reducing methane emissions, conserving valuable resources, and strengthening community connections. Through consistent, local action, the group is helping build a more sustainable and inclusive future — one meal, one volunteer, and one community at a time.