Sainsbury's Oldbury

Our Manna House Pantry, run entirely by volunteers, officially opened on 2nd December 2019 and is a registered charity No 1188732. It aims to help local families in need, relieving and helping to prevent poverty by means of food provision and is a franchise of the national Your Local Pantry network. Our Pantry is a membership-based food club and sources its food from supermarket surplus and donations to help local people struggling to meet their bills for as long as they need help. Our members, currently just under 200, can visit the Pantry once a week for a fee of £4. This enables them to choose food items to the value of around £25. In addition members can choose free fresh produce e.g. fruit, vegetables and bakery items for no additional cost. The membership fee is used by the Pantry to meet running costs e.g. utility bills and purchase top-up food stocks as required.

We are hoping to increase access to high quality Information, Advice and Guidance to help residents make informed choices. Increase skills and learning abilities of residents to improve their employment and income generation. Increase links and strengthen citizenship by providing a sense of shared future amongst all residents. Increase the psychological and physical well being of residents.

Dudley Caribbean and Friends (DCFA) operate out DCFA Impact Training 15 Wolverhampton Street Dudley. We are a small grassroots charity that was started in 1983. In response to the needs of the community and off the back of the pandemic, DCFA have formed the Reconnect Befriending group. We support the local community in Dudley in particular the over 55's. The Reconnect Befriending group operate out of Henry Court 1, Charlton Street Dudley, which is a 39 bed semi residential housing scheme for the over 55's. We are mainly a self help group with a small group of volunteers who have been recruited from within the community. We meet on a weekly basis for exercise and other health related activities. Service users took part in a consultation meeting in January 2023 and they expressed support with budgeting and with food support in particular. DCFA Reconnect Befriending also provide advocacy/advice/information, employment support for lone parents and older adults and there are no charges involved in the delivery of these services. Reconnect Befriending has partnered with Dudley MBC Community Forum Funding. We also partner with ACCN Abberley Street Dudley. Reconnect Befriending group meet once a week on a Tuesday for exercise and refreshments we intend to distribute the food each Tuesday after refreshments so that the group can collect surplus food on their way home. Reconnect do not currently collect surplus food from any other retailers. We confirm all food donations received via Neighbourly will be provided for free. Reconnect are committed to collecting and storing surplus foods on a regular basis so that there is less food waste.