M&S Alnwick Foodhall

Situated within a large social housing estate (ex council stock) our building is recognised as a community hub and has evolved according to community need. NCEL runs a number of services and projects from its Hub, known locally as The Stobhill Link; particularly targeting the elderly, disabled, disadvantaged and isolated as well as the unemployed working age community in order to alleviate hardship and provide opportunities for brighter futures for our residents. We have confidential and informal conversations with our clients discussing their primary reason for coming into see us and then are able to offer a wrap around service where we can support them further. - General charitable purposes - Education/training - Disability - Economic/community development/employment - Recreation - Children/young people - Elderly/old people - People with disabilities - The general public/mankind - Provides buildings/facilities/open space - Provides services - Provides advocacy/advice/information In response to the Covid-19 Outbreak, we immediately launched an enabling service, this resulted in more than 90 local people offering their time, energy and fuel to deliver shopping, prescriptions etc. to those who were self-isolating or vulnerable and unable to leave their home. This encouraged our local newspaper the Morpeth Herald to contact us and include an article on what we were doing with the support of our community. We currently have connections with a local charity, Calmer Therapy where we are starting a project called The Bread & Butter Thing also with the Council and their strategic food partnership known as Nourish to tackle food poverty.

We are sending out parcels to people in our local communities NE13. Also covering NE postcodes as well as Northumberland, Sunderland, North Tyneside. if a NEED (condition, illness or high risk) comes in such as an isolated young lady, pregnant with no means to access the stores or family we will support and help with emergency food parcel until she can get her benefits and delivery slot with supermarket, we will also welfare check every client who is isolated. we have a whole row of bungalows of isolated elderly who have not come out since told not to, and not be able to access family as a family are either no longer here or isolated themselves. Support and advice for families with an additional, complex and, or neurological need. encourage inclusion in external activities and confidence to express growth and co-production with all relevant services. reduce family and child poverty in the home and school. reduce and support individuals with mental health and pre-diagnosis in spectrum conditions. encourage volunteer and work opportunities. Mother and babies parcels for pregnant and new mums

Shilbottle Community Hall is a partner in the Shilbottle & Hampeth Mutual Aid Group which provides support to local people in the area through a free community stall which is at the church car park every Sunday. This stall provides bread, cakes, fruit and vegetables, and flowers. We also deliver food bags to households in need in the village, any household can self-refer by sending a message through the Facebook page. We also receive referrals from Northumberland County Council's Northumberland Communities Together service. We have a number of other projects that we are involved with at the Community Hall including working with the Alnwick Garden to develop a community garden to grow vegetables; developing a Warm Hub and a digital inclusion project. We have also supported Shilbottle Primary School and Shilbottle Children and Young People's Project with either food provision or financial support.