ALDI ROCHDALE - MELLOR ST

We started the soup kitchen four years ago serving soup from the back of a car outside Rochdale town hall one night a week. Within nine months we had enough volunteers to do this four nights a week and Saturday lunchtimes. We now have our own premises behind Champness Hall in Rochdale, from which we now aim to open a drop in centre seven days a week, serving lunches, soup kitchen in the evenings, providing hot showers, washing machine and drier, computers for applying for jobs and courses and medical services and counselling.

Smallbridge Pantry is a food members club where local people can buy 10 food items for £3.50 The pantry is open once a week on a Thursday morning 9.30/12pm and is run by local volunteers. The Smallbridge pantry is the second Pantry in the borough supported by RBH and has proven to be a very successful project aiming to tackle food poverty in our most deprived areas. Lidl have kindly offered to donate surplus food on a weekly basis to the Smallbridge pantry and this can be taken as extras by the pantry members.

Our project operates from St Andrews Methodist And United Reformed Church a welcoming space where individuals and families can access support with dignity. We identify service users through referrals from local agencies, walk-ins, word-of-mouth, and direct outreach. We listen carefully to understand each person’s circumstances, ensuring our support is tailored to their needs. We offer a weekly hot food kitchen for those experiencing homelessness, financial hardship, or isolation. We also provide free food parcels, clothing, and household essentials such as bedding, kitchenware, and toiletries. Seasonal support is available too, including warm coats in winter and school supplies in autumn. All services are completely free of charge, because we believe that access to food, warmth, and dignity should never come with a price tag. Surplus food donations are distributed through our hot meals and parcel service. We prioritise those most in need, including individuals without housing, families facing financial strain, and elderly residents at risk of isolation. Food is shared both on-site and through flexible responses to urgent needs, such as doorstep deliveries. The impact of these donations is profound: they reduce hunger and food waste, restore dignity and choice, foster connection and wellbeing, ease financial pressure, and support sustainability by redirecting edible surplus away from landfill. Every service we offer is rooted in compassion, community, and the belief that everyone deserves care, connection, and hope. All surplus food donations are distributed completely free of charge to those in need. Our aim is to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry, and that dignity is never compromised by cost. Each week, we receive surplus food from local suppliers, supermarkets, and community partners. Our team carefully inspects and sorts the donations, then assembles food bags tailored to different needs. Family parcels include fresh produce, pantry staples, and child-friendly items. Smaller bags are prepared for single parents and individuals. For those without access to cooking facilities, we create ready-to-eat packs with nourishing, easy-to-carry items. These food bags are given out in several ways. Families and individuals can collect them directly from our premises. For those unable to travel—such as elderly residents or single parents—we offer doorstep delivery when possible. Our outreach teams also carry food bags during their rounds, offering immediate support to people sleeping rough or living in temporary accommodation.