Sainsbury's Stroud

APT Central is the home of the All Pulling Together (APT) Community Association. We also host within our building a number of local community and statutory organisations. Together through APT we are all working together to improve the quality of life on the Park Estate and within the whole of Stonehouse. At the heart of the organisation are a team of dedictated local volunteers.

It is important for pupils to start the day with a nutritious breakfast. Evidence shows that providing a healthy breakfast at the start of the school day can contribute to improved readiness to learn, increased concentration, and improved wellbeing and behaviour (gov.uk). As a school we do not get funding to provide a healthy breakfast to our pupils, yet we know that for some children this would make the difference between them receiving and not receiving a nutritious meal at the start of their day. Over 30% of our pupils are from low- or no-income homes and this winter is sadly going to see that figure go up further. We already partner with FareShare to receive surplus food and we distribute this food to families in need within our school community. We would like to use our FareShare delivery to help provide a nutritious breakfast to pupils in need too, as well as continue to create food parcels for families in need, within our school community. We are interested in receiving additional surplus food from other partnerships locally too and would love to hear from any food retail outlets in a position to support us in this way, so we can expand what we offer and ensure that no child goes hungry. We have identified a number of our parents who are willing to volunteer to run the breakfast club. On top of this, we need to fund one paid supervisor (to work one hour a day) for the club, to open up the school and take responsibility for the smooth and safe running of the club. It would also be helpful to have some available funds on occasion, to buy missing, essential food items, that may not have arrived as surplus food donations. The Rosary School Breakfast Club will be run from the school premises. The breakfast club would be open to all pupils at no charge as this takes away any stigma in coming to school to eat breakfast. This is the model that FareShare promotes, for this very reason. The Rosary School is an academy and as such, has as its charitable object, the 'advancement of education for public benefit'. All Academies are run by non-profit making charitable trusts. As a new venture we cannot currently share with you any local new articles, social media posts, photographs, or references from local councillors but will endeavour to do so over the next period.

Paganhill Community Group started in 2017 following a very successful street party where lots of neighbours got together and ran a donation only event. We had a barbecue, live music by mostly local people, games for children, cake stall and local charities and who came and helped and joined in with the fun. Following the event a number of us formed a committee and later that year opened a cafe. This is held in our local Maypole Hall on a Friday afternoon. We decided from the start as this was not an affluent area that we would provide all food on a pay as you feel basis. We welcome everybody and a number of residents now offer arts and crafts, majong and other activities. Help and advise is on offer through P3 and Emerging Futures. We are always looking for people to join in or bring their ideas and skills to benefit their community. We now have a hope at The Octagon and run a variety of activities from our cafe and food hubs to bingo and a beautiful community garden. Because we run on donations I have applied for grant funding from few sources which has helped us buy equipment, pay towards the rent of the halls and train volunteers. We are starting to take volunteers who want to work towards achieving something like Duke of Edinburgh award or towards a work skill.