ALDI WEST DRAYTON - YIEWSLEY

YMCA Ventura House offers short-term supported housing for individuals who have faced the challenges of homelessness. We provide a safe, stable, and supportive environment for up to 106 residents, helping them rebuild their lives and work towards a brighter future. Our programme is designed to equip residents with the life skills they need to live independently, including cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and time management. We also offer access to volunteering, education, and employment opportunities to help residents gain confidence and reintegrate into the community. In addition to practical support, we provide in-house counselling services to promote emotional and mental well-being. Our team works closely with each resident to offer tailored support, ensuring they are empowered to overcome challenges and create lasting positive change. At YMCA Ventura House, we’re committed to fostering social inclusion and providing a pathway for individuals to regain independence, build meaningful connections, and create a better future for themselves.

Food Rescue Group, Uxbridge takes a practical, community-led approach to tackling food waste and promoting sustainable living across the town. As communities face growing challenges from climate change, dwindling resources, and ecological disruption, this initiative is both urgent and essential. A core focus of our work is addressing food waste, a major issue that leads to the unnecessary loss of valuable resources and contributes significantly to methane emissions from landfill. Tackling this challenge is both an environmental necessity and a moral responsibility, as redistributing surplus food can provide vital support to local families and individuals. We work closely with local producers and retailers to ensure surplus food is put to good use rather than wasted. These partnerships help businesses reduce disposal costs while delivering measurable environmental benefits for the wider community. The initiative is powered by dedicated local volunteers, including community members and university students, who collect and redistribute surplus food shortly after it becomes available. This rapid turnaround helps maintain freshness, removes the need for storage, and supports the highest standards of food safety and quality. Every item is carefully inspected, and any unsuitable food is disposed of responsibly to minimise environmental impact. Pickup and distribution in Uxbridge are coordinated by Richard Purpura and Norberto Natividad, who work closely with the volunteer network to ensure collections run smoothly and deliveries reach those who need them most. Their hands-on leadership keeps operations efficient, responsive, and firmly community-focused. Coordination is managed through a dedicated WhatsApp group, providing real-time updates on collection schedules, locations, and available quantities. This efficient communication enables quick responses and effective day-to-day operations. By launching this initiative in Uxbridge, the Food Rescue Group is diverting significant quantities of food from landfill, reducing methane emissions, conserving valuable resources, and strengthening community connections. As the group continues to refine its approach and expand local engagement, it is making meaningful progress towards a more sustainable and inclusive future. Join us in Uxbridge and help make a difference, one meal, one volunteer, and one community at a time.

Southall Lions meet the needs of local communities and the world every day because they share a core belief - to serve their community. Together, our Foundation and Lions are helping communities with delivering needs such as food, water and clothing.