Sainsbury's Garstang

Food for Thought is a not-for-profit community group. We are based out of Father's House in Skerton. Our food club is held weekly on a Thursday 12-1.00 and we provide food for 100 families. Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds including community work, academia and self employment. Our volunteers have all had prior experience of running food clubs and working with and in the community. We work with several bodies including Lancashire County Council who awarded us our start up grant and Lancaster District CVS. Our partnership with Neighbourly provides our food club with the bonus of free surplus food which we give to our members free of charge. Also, by running alongside the community café at Father’s House we can provide a share of the surplus food we collect from Neighbourly partners and give the local community a free hot meal. Our association with Father’s House makes us unique in the Lancaster area as we can offer so much more to the residents of Skerton. For example, we donate food to the Father’s House Community Café who then make free hot nutritious meals to feed those in food poverty and the homeless. Father’s House Community Cafe also donates cakes and meals to our food group, so it is mutually beneficial. We feel that this helps us to connect with a different client group to any other food club in the area and makes the food we offer our clients truly sustainable. We are part of the buying cooperative organised by eggcup which gives our members the opportunity to purchase bread, milk and eggs for a nominal price (£1). Eggcup also give us access to HSF funded food. We are in the process of developing links with My Mainway and also Asda as part of their Community Partnership. We run a slow cooker initiative ‘What’s Slow Cooking’. The launch was covered by the local press. The initiative is unique in Lancaster ‘What’s Slow Cooking’ is funded by being successful in gaining a grant from Lancaster and District CVS. We are the first Community Partner with a newly established Hygiene Bank – Lancaster and the Bay. We have been chosen as it has been recognised that we know our members and as such we will be able to provide a more comprehensive service, offering both personal and household cleaning products through this partnership. We have also run a craft group on a Tuesday 11-1 where a hot meal is provided free of charge and we also are in the process of setting up a community garden where local residents can grow edible plants such as potatoes and brassicas.

We are an open-access community and youth centre which also offers help with a range of issues including housing, benefits and jobs. We offer coffee and cake on Fridays and run youth groups for children aged four upwards.

It’s important to note the Centre is open for essential services, providing information, advice, guidance services. 1-2-1 support, food and crisis support. Safety measures and social distancing is in place Monday: 1-2-1 support, employability support, food crisis service and advice and guidance drop in. Whitby's Homemade (Nutritious, tasty, homemade meals). Tuesday: Whitby’s Pantry is running by appointment only. 9am – 3pm (last appointment).. 1-2-1 support, employability support, food crisis service and advice and guidance drop in. Whitby's Homemade (Nutritious, tasty, homemade meals). Wednesday – Whitby’s Pantry is running by appointment only 9am – 3pm (last appointment). 1-2-1 support, employability support, food crisis service and advice and guidance drop in. Whitby's Homemade (Nutritious, tasty, homemade meals). Thursday: The Centre is closed but our staff are working from home, you can still contact us on 01772 760 760 or email us at info@intact-preston.org.uk and a member of our team will still be able to help you with your enquiry. Friday: 1-2-1 support, employability support, food crisis service and advice and guidance drop in. An online, telephone and email service has been provided - contact information including info@intact-preston.org.uk has been distributed via Facebook, Mail-Chimp, Next Door, PCC. Deb, our Centre Support and Advice Officer is the main point of contact and dealing with queries online. We can also be reached on Facebook messenger via our Facebook page. Other – We are part of the Community Food Hub now operating across Preston to distribute food parcels. Intact will help and support vulnerable residents throughout the current situation, working with a range of public and voluntary sector organisations working with local groups, external organisations and individuals. Mobile tablets have been donated including internet data. These are currently being distributed to some of our most vulnerable, socially isolated and shielded, service users who can’t afford the internet. Employability We are still delivering out Changing Futures and Invest in Youth programmes albeit on a reduced service. However, we are looking at ways to develop employability services remotely. Online Services • We now have a dedicated Intact Community Facebook Group where you can join in with conversations, ask questions or share what matters to you with other members of the intact family. • Thrifty Kitchen is still cooking with the team now producing videos at home and sharing their knowledge via their own dedicated Facebook group and YouTube Channel. You can get recipes, ask questions, help others, share your creations and enjoy some foodie chat.