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Olivet Baptist Food Bank At Olivet Baptist Church, our food bank serves the homeless and families who are struggling to make ends meet in our community. The need around us is great, and many depend on the support we provide. Our ability to meet this need is limited by the funds we can raise internally. We are seeking the partnership and generosity of others to help us continue offering vital food and support to those who need it most.

COOH helps children, young people and families across Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth and Greenwich strengthen their wellbeing, confidence and stability through trusted community programmes and practical support. Come Out of Hiding – The Lighthouse Network CIC (COOH) is a Christian organisation and we welcome and serve people of all faiths and no faith. Founded in 2015 and incorporated as a Community Interest Company in 2018, we provide safe, welcoming spaces where people can connect, receive support, learn new skills and take part in opportunities that may otherwise be out of reach. Our programmes include: • Let’s Get Messy – creative, wellbeing and movement activities for children aged 3–10. • STEPs: Let’s Level Up – mentoring, employability, enterprise, financial capability, leadership and life-skills activities for young people aged 11–17. • Let’s Get Moving – physical activities, community trips and family experiences. • Let’s Talk – mental and emotional wellbeing conversations and safe spaces. • Let’s Get Fed – food, basic essentials and practical support for households experiencing hardship. • Let’s Be Light (for those who choose this) – Christian leadership, volunteering and community social action. We also provide community drop-ins, family forums, community meals, seasonal holiday activities, employer visits, work experience and signposting to other services. Our whole-family approach recognises that children and young people are more likely to thrive when their parents, carers and wider household are also supported. COOH has delivered more than 6,700 participant hours and has built trusted relationships with local residents, community organisations, NHS services, housing providers, businesses and funders. The support we need most includes surplus food, toiletries, household essentials, school supplies, clothing, refreshments and materials for our activities. We also welcome volunteers who can support youth and children’s sessions, community drop-ins, food distribution, mentoring, employability workshops, events, administration, fundraising, communications and professional advice. Financial donations help us respond when a family needs urgent assistance, cover activities and travel for children and young people, provide welcoming community sessions and ensure trained staff and volunteers are available to deliver our work safely.

Humble Beginnings: In 1974 a group of Lewisham residents were frustrated by the fact that a few of the young people in their neighbourhood were becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and getting into trouble with the police; stealing motorbikes was a big problem. The residents knew that this behaviour was lagely because the young people had nothing to do. It was then that one of the residents came across a project in Birmingham that had set up a workshop for young people so that, instead of stealing motorbikes, they would do them up. Together the local residents turned one of their garages into a small workshop and encouraged the local youths to come along and learn the basics of mechanics. The Young Lewisham Project was born. The Here and Now The Young Lewisham Project offers a wide range of supportive alternative vocational programmes to young people who may not be achieving in mainstream education. We deliver projects, activities and trips during term time and over the weekend, although we do not replace statutory provision. Programmes take place each week on our site in our workshops, activities include motorbike mechanics & bicycle maintenance, woodwork, furniture restoration and upcycling, art and crafts, gardening and allotment work and cooking. Residential trips and off site activities also take place throughout the year. We work with up to 200 young people each year who are referred by partner agencies. ​People at The Young Lewisham Project are encouraged to access other programmes and local services and to progress on to other courses within the project or to further education and work placements. Several of our young volunteers who themselves attended the project have become paid employees here or with other local youth service providers. We are also a Gold Scheme achievement award provider funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation and are named in the Approved Alternative Provider directory for Lewisham. We have a strong track record of working with schools, Social Services, the Leaving Care Team, the Youth Offending Team, the Youth Service, special needs schools and projects, the Road Safety Team, environment and allotment groups. We are committed to partnership and collaboration work.