Sainsbury's Salendine Nook

The Branch is a community charity based in Paddock, Huddersfield, working alongside local people to reduce poverty, improve wellbeing, and strengthen community connections. We provide practical support, community activities, volunteering opportunities, and access to advice and services, helping individuals and families overcome challenges and build brighter futures. Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for many local households. Through our FoodShare programme, we redistribute surplus food that would otherwise go to landfill, providing affordable access to nutritious food while reducing environmental waste. In 2025/26, FoodShare provided the equivalent of 43,131 meals, saved 27,562kg of food from landfill, and prevented an estimated 43,931kg of CO₂ emissions. We also provided emergency food support, shopping assistance and hot meals for people facing crisis situations. The Branch is part of the leadership team for Good Food for All Kirklees, a borough-wide partnership working to create a fairer, healthier and more sustainable food system. Through this role, we help coordinate organisations, support community food initiatives, share good practice and advocate for improved access to healthy, affordable food across Kirklees. Alongside food provision, we offer practical welfare support including energy top-ups, grocery vouchers, clothing, furniture, white goods and household essentials. We support people experiencing poverty, poor mental health, disability, domestic abuse, addiction, isolation and other complex challenges. During 2025/26, we delivered 280 community social actions, helping people meet immediate needs while improving their long-term wellbeing. We recognise that wellbeing extends beyond crisis support. Through digital inclusion sessions, health promotion activities, mindfulness, skills development opportunities and signposting to specialist services, we help people build confidence, resilience and independence. Creating opportunities for connection is at the heart of our work. Our community groups and activities welcomed more than 15,000 visits during the year through programmes such as Melody Makers, Lunch Club, Get Active, Computer Corner and FoodShare. We also deliver family activities, holiday programmes, workshops and community events that reduce isolation, strengthen relationships and create opportunities for people to belong and contribute. Volunteers are central to everything we do. During 2025/26, volunteers contributed more than 5,900 hours of their time, supporting food provision, community activities, events, fundraising and practical assistance. By combining immediate practical support with long-term community development, The Branch helps create a stronger, healthier and more connected community where people feel valued, supported and able to thrive.

Our practical, short-term support is here for local people who are in crisis. We offer basic essentials such as food, toiletries, warm and bedding - plus a listening ear and information about where to get further help. People are in real need in Huddersfield - every week people are going hungry because they haven’t enough money to make ends meet. They face impossible choices between eating and heating, feeding their children or paying the rent. A recent client felt that “the centre was so helpful - I was given a food parcel, which was a massive relief as I had absolutely nowhere else to go.” Here's how we work. Individuals, local groups, schools, businesses and faith organisations donate food, household goods and money to us. Our volunteers then make up emergency packs which are handed directly to people in need. Food packs contain enough food for 7 days. People can also come to us for toiletries like soap and toothpaste and household items such as pots, pans, cutlery, bedding and towels. So who do we help? Local families and people in dire need. Maybe someone's lost their job and bills have taken all their cash. Or a young mum moving out to get her kids away from a violent partner. Job loss, debt, eviction, homelessness, violence, benefit problems, drug, alcohol or mental or physical health issues can all play their part in triggering a crisis. People can only receive our help if they have been referred to us by organisations such as Job Centre Plus, Mental Health Services, GPs or Social Services. We work with local agencies to help clients find the ongoing support they need. Our help is short-term and limited. We create a breathing space for people in need and aim to stop a crisis turning into a tragedy. We are a small, determined and efficient charity. We employ a few core staff who work with a team of around 120 volunteers. The Welcome Centre is managed by a Board of Trustees. We have a three-year plan to ensure we deliver an inclusive high-quality service. We rely on local donors, support from businesses, fundraising events and grant applications to keep going. We receive some support from the council to help meet the increasing demand for our service, but demand is continuing to rise. Thank you for your support!

Huddersfield Street kitchen is run completely by volunteers. We provide hot food and drinks to anyone that needs it. We also provide sleeping bags, warm clothing, pet food etc and whatever the kind people of Huddersfield donate. We are open every Sunday 1 pm - 2.30pm on the market stalls between the Tesco steps and the open market on Brook Street.