ALDI SLAITHWAITE

We signpost to three houses where people can stay short to mid term and have had people come through to have tenancies of their own elsewhere. We support a community cafe and food / consumables larder We can refer to partner charities for long term support We offer volunteer experience to be part of a growing community garden to learn skills, socialise and utilise the veg and herbs

Shared Goods Charity, located in Huddersfield, supports people seeking asylum and refugees living in Kirklees with a community hub and clothing and household bank, free-of-charge item choices with dignity, to aid the relief of poverty. We support people who are vulnerable and in economic difficulty, using a referral system for individuals and families seeking sanctuary.  Shared Goods was founded in 2020, we now have premises in Huddersfield town centre, are a registered charity, with 25+ volunteers supporting the project work, and have a reach of over 150 clients per week. It’s been rapid growth in a very short time period. The volunteers are the life blood of the project, a dedicated team from a variety of backgrounds, many of whom have previously used our service and ask to join our team to support others. We are an organisation rich in diversity, lived experience of the UK Immigration system, multicultural values and multifaith.  Our clothing range covers all clothing types for all ages from birth to adult, and includes shoes, sportswear and coats. We also offer bedding, towels and household items.  Awareness-raising of the largely unreported issue of clothing poverty in the UK is needed. Only 2% of people seeking asylum are able to afford the basic clothes and shoes they need.  We strive to ensure that people who have been forced to flee their homes, because of war or persecution, arrive in Huddersfield to a warm welcome and some of the things that will help them to feel more at home here. We have a formal referral process which ensures that we reach out to those most in need. The referrals come from a wide range of local organisations. We also work at grassroots level and have community networks which help usm to support some of the most vulnerable and difficult to reach people in Kirklees.  We are part of the wider welcome from Kirklees to people settling here in our region, helping to make a positive change in people’s lives. Mission: To provide free clothing and bedding to sanctuary seekers in need. Vision: Sanctuary seekers in need will not be held back from accessing training, education and future employment opportunities through lack of appropriate clothing, and will not be prevented from living healthy and hygienic lives through lack of the same. Values: We are committed to upholding the basic dignity of every human person and passionate about equality of opportunity for both those we serve and our volunteers. We stand alongside those who struggle against poverty, powerlessness and injustice in our local community in compassion and humility. We affirm the value of acting in partnership and remain open to forging new relationships to the mutual benefit of all parties, in a spirit of solidarity. We acknowledge and act on our desire to provide opportunities for marginalised members of society.  At Shared Goods we are passionate about  Humancare and Earthcare.

We want to be able support those people who are temporarily unable to afford to support themselves in our local area with regular access to a healthy range of foods, both fresh produce and longer life easy to cook foodstuffs.