Lidl Houghton Regis - Sundon Rd

I began my journey doing charity work around 2021, with non-profits, and from this my passion grew helping others who are less fortunate. Now, in March 2025, I have founded BelovedXCare, with a team of dedicated individuals who assist me in collecting nutritious surplus food from local stores and supermarkets and we redistribute them to those that are in need including low-income families, single parents and the homeless. We are eager to do our part in reducing food waste whilst supporting those in need. My wish is that everyone would recognise the need and be able to do the same in helping others. Giving back into the community is the ultimate blessing that we can bestow upon others. Errol Connage Director BelovedXCare M: 07482 453 410 E: errolc@belovedxcare.org W: http://www.belovedxcare.org

We provide two main services, the first is food parcels to those in our community that are struggling financially. Parcels are issued fortnightly to between 70 & 100 individuals & families, providing them with sufficient food for at least one meal per day until the next parcel is due. We also provide monthly toiletry packs, and cleaning packs. This service is free to those in need, and self referrals are welcomed. This is based at our first premises, a warehouse where parcels are made & can be collected. Alongside this, we also store the stock for the second service we provide. This second service is a Community Fridge & Social Supermarket. The community fridge provision allows us to bring together all the food collected from the local supermarkets and food providers that they are no longer able to sell. It is all checked it meets Government food safety standards, before it is displayed in our Shop for anyone in the local community to pop in & choose from. There is no charge for this service, although donations are very welcome towards our costs. We have a fair usage policy for this service. In addition to this, our shop also acts as a Social Supermarket, where we sell items donated to us by Amazon, they are no longer able to sell. This could be damaged packaging, or end of lines, and can range from cans of pop to cleaning products, clothing, toiletries and other items. Everything we sell is again checked for breakages, expiry dates etc, and sold at least 66% below the market pricing and the shop is open 5 days per week, plus a Saturday market stall. Whilst the above is the core of our support services, we have a policy to ensure we look at other areas of support that may be needed. In the past we have purchased beds, white goods, clothing and other items that have been needed to ensure our service users have access to their basic needs. We have connections with local schools, care homes, Rotary, Scouting groups, & other charities whom we assist with donations when required. We have a regular programme for Duke of Edinburgh students to do their volunteering, as well as a local school for children with behaviour difficulties. We give them an opportunity they wouldn't normally have, to come do work experience with us in our warehouse, or stock is taken to them to pack for us for those not able to visit us. We have regular visits & chats with local scout & guide groups, helping them earn their community badges too. We have around 75 volunteers making all this work, and two paid employees as team leaders.

We at 'Meeting Needs' try to meet the needs of those who are in our community on a weekly basis who struggle financially. We do this by making up food parcels and boxes, and then have these delivered to those in our surrounding areas.. What premises does your project operate from? We do not operate from any premises as we do not store or retain food. All food are delivered on the day, or night that it is collected from the stores due to their "used by date". Our policy is straight from the store, straight to our recipients homes as we conduct a delivery service from store straight to homes. This ensures no one is hampered by having to travel to access the food. Our ethos is to eradicate all barriers that inhibits individuals from accessing food and that includes travel. We also eliminate the need to carry heavy bags of food back to their homes. Our motto is to provide a streamline service that enables our recipients to have an easier way of receiving food which greatly aids our more challenged individuals like the elderly and disabled. All of our collections are given to shelters, refuges and hostels and private homes. Other parties that benefit from us are single parent families, homeless, low income workers, as well as individuals who are on benefits. The elderly and the disabled and individuals who are in care homes who enjoy receiving our cakes, breads, and flowers. The users are identified by the need that they show and divulge to us, and the difficulties and challenges that they face in accessing food. We also supply clothing, household items which are sourced from other Charity organisations. Has there been local press or similar that demonstrates your organisation's work in the local community? We do not advertise the work that we do as a respect to the individuals that we serve as some of our recipients are classed as 'vulnerable' ie DV victims.