Sainsbury's Holborn Local

We run a surplus foodbank in Somers Town in the borough of Camden in London. All thanks to 50 local volunteers who help us to support 80 local households, 11 hostels, 1 after-school club and 1 church group. We are supporting just over 125 children now living in poverty. We do this by collecting surplus from 45 local stores every week and redistributing them in a timely manner all thanks to each volunteer commiting to a regular shift weekly/ alternate weeks. Collections are made by bicycle using hitch on/off trailers, by foot using hand carts and some volunteers use their cars for those big collections and drop-offs to big hostels. We also operate a 'Room of thing's where local households that we support can take anything they need from. Items are donated by local businesses and people. There isn't much we can't find a home for. In our small courtyard we also have a surplus cart where people passing by can take what they need. This is about supporting local people whilst also being a part of a circular reuse mode. Our volunteers support us with so much more, from helping local residents with their CVs, mentoring, sewing surplus food bags from textile waste, running a monthly free clothing swap and more. Our project is person centred, each volunteer has something meaningful to offer a local person; this is where community happens. We are just a team of 2 and are BAME-Led. Our work with Neighbourly is a key part to be able to support local people. You can find out more about the impact your support has on our beneficiaries on our website and you can visually see what our operation looks like on our instagram. We always need volunteers.

We were founded in 2015 as Sapphire Ministries and as of November 2017, we rebranded to the Sapphire Community Group to represent inclusivity and community. In 2022 we have now rebranded to The Sapphire Employability and Wellbeing Academy (TSEAWA) as we have moved on solely to supporting BAME young people aged 5- 35 with employability, housing, wellbeing and food support. TSEAWA was established to help young people access work and accredited training. Aiming to increase young people's independence, abilities and freedom to thrive, all while reducing unemployment, mental health issues, crime rates and homelessness. OUR AIM Empowering, Equipping, Inspiring, Training, Mentoring, Motivating and Educating young people aged 5 to 35 years old through Employability, Wellbeing and Enrichment Support. OUR OBJECTIVES 1. Reducing mental health issues 2. Reducing homelessness 3. Reducing crime rates 4. Reducing unemployment 5. Increasing young people in education or training 6. Increasing skills development We are an organisation that aims to restore, revive and rebuild a divided generation. We are an organisation that accepts everyone and encourages individuals to be their truest self. We work with the 5-35 year olds around the world and we instil the message of love but most of all worth. We have over 4 years of experience and till date we have worked with over 8000 young people and single parents till date, especially those from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds. Sapphire aims to equip young people to not only be the their best version of themselves but to also inspire them to have a genuine insight of what they will like to pursue in the near future. More importantly, the community group is put in place to make a major contribution to those whose voice has been silenced and ensuring that they understand and fulfil their purpose. We are an organisation that seeks to empower and stabilise a segregated community. The sole purpose of Sapphire is to build people up. Moreover, to ensure that each individual finds what they are meant to do in life. Through mentoring, coaching, literature, entertainment, events and workshops; we aim to provide a platform and pathway for young people all over the world find their callings. Additionally, we will attempt to help each individual believe that they can create a change for the extraordinary. We aim to teach and inspire individuals to believe in themselves and see their full potential. We have multiple young people roaming the streets, because they believe that the world has given up on them or they believe that they do not have what it takes to create the impossible. So Sapphire is stepping in to give a voice to the voiceless. The Sapphire Employability and Wellbeing Academy (TSEAWA) is here to tell our young, that they are good enough! And that there is nothing they cannot achieve if they are willing to go the extra mile to achieve the unattainable today.

The charity is a membership based food operation providing food to people on low incomes in the Burgess Hill area. A weekly subscription is paid by members and this entitles them to shop for food to a higher value than their subscription allowing tight budgets to stretch further. We offer as close to a normal shopping experience as possible with the key words, hope , dignity and choice forming the base for everything we do. Individuals can apply to use the Pantry online or in person. There is a waiting list due to the demands on our service. We currently have over 250 members representing over 800 individuals in Mid Sussex. We also offer wraparound support in the form of cookery classes, maths and literacy support, housing advice, IT support, energy advice and social activities.