The Co-operative Food - Aldershot, Lower Farnham Road

The Community Grub Hub CIC is a registered Community Interest Company (No. 13739432), set up in the heart of Aldershot in December 2021 to help residents of Rushmoor. Our story began as a response to the challenges of the pandemic, with a food hub at Princes Hall in Aldershot. What started as a partnership with the Park Church Food Larder evolved into the Community Grub Hub, finding a home in the ex-St John's Ambulance building in Windsor Way, Aldershot, close to the train station and town centre. Our main purpose is to; - Reduce food poverty in the local community - Help the environment by reducing food waste To achieve this we; - Run a food bank where people can get food and donate food - Collect and share food using local networks and partners In addition we; - Provide a friendly welcome space where people can relax and chat - Work with our partners to offer our visitors "signposting", including advice on jobs, benefits, housing, debt management, health and mental wellbeing. - Use of computers to develop digital skills and assist with searches and benefits.

We are a term time pre-school offering childcare from the age of two years as well as breakfast and afterschool care. We predominantly serve the Garrison community but do take civilian children. The company is run by a group of trustees chaired by the Garrison Commander and includes parent trustees We are creating a outdoor learning environment that provides children with a safe space to connect with nature, explore, take risks and challenge themselves without limitations. The area aims to inspire awe and wonder and endless opportunities for fun and will be available for children in the preschool and school club, as well as the youth club who also run from Clocktower. We are raising funds to provide the area with equipment including den building, climbing facilitates, balancing opportunities, tools, outdoor mark making and more.

40 Degreez is a local charity in Farnham, Surrey, aimed at meeting the need for the provision of youth services in and around the surrounding areas, working to support principally disadvantaged young people. We offer an open door policy encouraging young people within the age range of 10 to 17 years old to join in various clubs run by experienced youth workers. Leading & helping them to find ways of dealing with their difficulties in a supportive environment using activities or related workshops, sometimes resulting in a specific offshoot club – Girls Self Defence or Gardening Project. A proportion of young people we interact with are vulnerable, impoverished & at risk of: abuse, both mental & physical, grooming, sexual exploitation, easily influenced in making the wrong choices, coercion/expectation to enter into criminal activities & basic life issues. The young people themselves can be young carers, suffer with psychological issues, self-harm, NEET or come from dysfunctional homes or be in the Social Services system. We also provide rooms for individual young people to meet with Social Services, medical professionals & supporting agencies for various meetings in a safe known environment for the young person, if they need advice on health and other issues such as drug abuse, sexual matters & life issues (grief). A typical club number (pre COVID) ranged from 15 to 30 young people, many stay with their group until they leave school. Previously we ran 4 clubs a week, each lasting 1½ - 2 hours, groups were occasionally taken on visits and for short residentials. Currently we are safely running sessions for more vulnerable young people to continue supporting them – 2 sessions of Heath Hub, Girls Self Defence, Gardening Project and triage for drop ins working within current NYA guidelines. The building is provided at no cost by Waverley Borough Council on a full repairing lease. The Trustees maintain the building, cover all running costs and salaries of admin and youth worker staff. Income is generated by renting rooms to other user groups, individuals or businesses, many with an emphasis on young people, vulnerable or community based groups, such as: mother/baby support groups, musical groups, social services, overseas school groups for English teaching visits, 1 – 1 with medical professionals, various support groups for dementia, special needs & drug & alcohol & sports groups. Part of our building is used on a long term basis by the local confederation of secondary schools to provide a space to teach up to 8 students who are at risk of exclusion, support the students with greater needs for one to one, in need of respite & also to aid the reintegration back into the school environment. This provides access to stimulating opportunities which encourage achievement and progression for all abilities of learners by means of personalised curriculums. We are recognised for improving services and facilities for young people and assisting social inclusion.