Sainsbury's Ladbroke Grove

ln August 2007, ECE recieved a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of 300,000 members of the IYF (International Youth Fellowship) for our contribution to the UK branch. In September 2008, Esther Community Enterprise was awarded certificates from the Lord Mayor of Croydon, for having carried out 100 hours of volunteering activities. On the 2 June 2011, ECE was awarded with theQueens Award for Voluntary Service, MBE. This is the highest award given to voluntary groups in the United Kingdom, and as such, is equivalent in status to the MBE. This prestigious UK National Honour recognises outstanding voluntary contributions and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged to be of the highest standard. We aim to meet those who have needs in the local community by redistribution of food and other consumables donated from retailers. ECE makes a worthwhile collective response to the 3 tenets of sustainable development, namely social, economical and environmental needs. ECE forms a consortium with other charities, faith groups, projects and organisations. We have over 70 Project Co-ordinators. They manage and help to distribute the food/groceries and clothing items within the local communities across the UK, on behalf of ECE. We have sustained our social enterprise through the goodwill and hard work of over 400 drivers and countless volunteers, who contribute their time, transportation and finance to this worthy cause. Near sell by date food is collected on a daily basis from a range of supermarkets and other retailers and diverted to those that need it most ECE feeds in excess of 40,000 people per week and this is steadily on the increase as we expand across the UK

Our project started by simply distributing surplus food to people in need. Slowly our network got bigger that we could not knock on each door on our list anymore, so we agreed I park at one point everyday after collection, and people come to take food. At first people were reluctant to come out of their houses, specially after many recent crimes that happened in Parry road. But slowly people started having the trust to come out and have small chat, and in few weeks all the community were waiting for the slot to distribute, only to meet and have small chat. One lady told me I lived at my address for over 15 years, and this is the first time I know who are my neighbours. We created whatsapp group where I post photo of the food collected, and people get notified so they come and wait. Then we added on the group posting unwanted clothes or furniture, and people welcomed the idea and used it a lot. Now the charity who was giving us the slots ended, people were sad. First they were relying financially a lot on this food, and 2nd they stopped coming out and gathering for chats when taking food. People and children are stopping me in the streets to ask me why we stopped or when we are coming back. I can provide more than 50 family contacts, and I can provide extract of the group chats as testimonial of our work for the last few years. In the last year our group expanded a lot. Many people volunteered, we have in total 23 volunteers who are reaching more areas, more people in need, and more charities. We distribute in weekly basis to Lebanese welfare community in Kilburn, to al Nour Arabic school, Mozart street hostel for homeless. One of our volunteers works in care home in Maida Vale and she takes sandwiches and cakes to elderly people who waits for it. Also we do distribute in Harrow road near Zagros where many people who are in need gather evening. We give to Emmanuel Pantry Harrow road 2 days a week. We distribute to Avenues club in Third Avenue, and to the food bank in Queenspark Primary. Our group is always open to anyone who wants to join. People from the group always send me messages to add more people they know or they just met and they believe they need those donations. Our group currently has 70 members, who some of them also take to people they know.

Empowering women in excluded communities to become agents for their own change. WAND UK is a women’s charity that supports disadvantaged ,vulnerable women and young girls. We offer free services, including advice and general information, advocacy, telephone support on how to access services, telephone befriending, one 2 one and group sessions including physical activities of online dance and yoga sessions, Community food distribution, botanical workshops, digital literacy.... . We run a number of projects supporting women’s wellbeing, addressing their emotional, multicultural and practical needs. We focus on women with mental health , Domestic Violence victims, lone parents, refugees , asylum seekers. migrants, unemployed, low level educated, women infected and affected by HIV and low income families Empowering women in excluded communities to become agents for their own change.WAND UK bridges the gap of inequality against women by incorporating the protective characteristics of age, race, religion, sexuality and disability. We exist to support, inspire and empower women and girls through training, building their self-confidence , raising their self-esteem and increasing their self-worth to be able them to participate in and contribute to their communities. Our projects offer volunteering opportunities, training and education to ensure that all women particularly those from BAME communities have a clear understanding of the system and how they and their families can improve their quality of life We equip vulnerable young girls with tools and life skills such as negotiation, communication, assertiveness and leadership by working in partnership with youth centres encouraging them to become agents for their own change. In Westminster we work with the Avenues Youth Centre. WAND’s vision is a World at peace, free from discrimination and oppression where every person enjoys all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A world where and where individual dignity is respected, and all human suffering and hardship is acknowledged with humility and compassion. A world where people seek to understand each other and chose to see the positive in difference. A world where difference is not only respected, but valued and where different cultures can work together in collaboration to build on each others strengths, and overcome collective hardships and difficulties. We are committed to a philosophy of equality and fairness.