ALDI READING - BASINGSTOKE RD

Community development activities including community cafe, we take part in the holiday hunger campaign feeding low income families who are entitled to free school meals during term time, there is currently no such provision during holidays. We also make packages up for families in the local area who have no access to food banks, referrals are not necessary as we feel this is a more relaxed approach for the families. The community cafe has people from ages ranging from newborn to 90 years of age attending, on a monthly basis we hold a community museum for the old and new members of the public to attend, they can share they stories of Whitley to others. This helps combat isolation in the elderly and connects the elderly and young together..At Whitley community development association we believe that we can help empower the community to have a voice and go out and do rather than it being done for us. The cafe is a a place to meet, a place to air concerns, a place to help others, a place to do what the community wants us to do. We have programs running that meet our communities needs. Wcda do not charge for any of their services, we do ask where possible for a small donation to help us carry on the work that we do. Our food surplus project is still growing as we continue to look for more parrtners daily to help with the growing needs of our community.WCDA work alonside a benefits agency twice a week to help those get easy access to services that they would not necessarily be able to. Wcda have recently been on BBC south today and local radio stations to talk about food poverty in our area. WCDA have also just won the Pride of Reading Awards as the charity of the year.

Looprun is a response division and part of an independent social enterprise. This is more than food and is part of a supportive services platform to help people get sustained in their own individual way. With up to 94% success rate and seeing once those receiving free Looprun response bags to returning to stores as shoppers with baskets full. These are the impact stories created when all come together to do good for good. Service users are signposted to Looprun mostly from referrals including professionals in social and healthcare. Looprun provides free non perishables, perishable food, toiletries, and brand new clothing to people facing a temporary challenge. Whatever supermarkets, stores, and retailers can do is turned into a grateful donation to a neighbour in need. This is a response to real people in real-time. No food is banked providing a direct in and out service. We believe if the food is stored then a person in need is not getting any food, hence we provide an instant response and instant impact service. Looprun has access to professional volunteers who carry out a confidential support service to people in need. From homeless shelters, hostels, sheltered housing, care homes, soup kitchens and schools. This is a non voucher, free and confidential service. This means Looprun can reach more people in need with food donations. Anyone that receives a Looprun bag of essential food items is sustained thus creating a loop cycle. All are invited to become part of these sustainable stories in your local community. For further information and gallery access on the impact of Looprun please visit: Website: https://www.looprun-sciv.online/

Share Shinfield is part of the Share Wokingham charity, making surplus food from supermarkets available for local people to come and collect, combatting food waste, as well as helping those that might otherwise struggle to afford their weekly shop. Share Shinfield is open every Monday 1145-1pm at the School Green Centre in Shinfield . Locals are invited to come and choose from a range of amazing food that would otherwise go into landfill, and then stay for tea, coffee, cake and a chat. Donation of £1. Members of the church will be available to chat, so if attendees have need for clothing, shoes, toys, equipment or household items, we may be able to assist further.