Sainsbury's Leicester

Alice Hawkins Community Projects are working with local people to enable change within the community, providing support for those on the poverty line and from less privileged backgrounds so they can focus on improving their lives, accessing opportunities and developing the community they belong to. As a community interest company we run a number of initiatives and projects supported by public donations and funding, run by volunteers and our members. Our first and ongoing project, setup in the pandemic and previously known as ‘Woodgate Community Food; our food bank offers support for those in need living in the Fosse and Westcotes wards of Leicester city. We provide top up food parcels for over 100 households a week and are always in need of additional funds for this ongoing project. The cost of living has increased and this especially true in the Winter months for the most vulnerable in our community. In 2022 we embarked on a electric blanket campaign to support those most affected with the high prices of fuel by providing an alternative cheaper way of localised heating. We now have a Community Garden which we started in 2023 after being awarded The National Grid’s Community Green Spaces Fund to start a community container garden at the Annexe.

Fighting Food Poverty -Food Pantry -Free Breakfast Club for children on Saturday -Elders lunch club -Community Coffee Morning Health and Wellbeing -Adult Day Care centre -Elders seated Exercise -Youth Club -Karate groups for young boys and girls -Womens' exercise and activity groups including mendhi classes and craft groups -NHS support sessions Children and Family Services -Preschool 2-4yrs old -Ante natal group -Post natal group -Parent/toddler groups -Baby Massage Education, Skills and Support -English ESOL and confidence building classes -Visa Application Support -Housing and Benefits advice

We are supported accommodation for up to 11 clients. We also have a floating support service. We support individuals with a tailored person centred support plan where they have choice on what support they feel they need. Our clients have a history of drug and alcohol misuse, but addressing these issues through holistic support and drug treatment services. Our clients come from chaotic and often traumatic backgrounds, and suffer with PTSD and mental health issues. The aim of our project is to rebuild each client and give them the independent skills they require to sustain a tenancy of their own within 12 months of accessing our service. We provide emotional support, counselling, recovery groups, maximising income, advocacy, and ongoing support once a resident has left our residential accommodation.