Sainsbury's St Andrew Square Local

SHRUB Cooperative is an organisation based in Edinburgh. The Food Sharing Hub initiative collects surplus food and redistributes it free of charge to the local community, food provision partners and a network of Edinburgh hostels. The Food Sharing Hub is Scotland’s first rescued food shop. Now located at the Pavilion Cafe and Community Hub, it saves surplus food from supermarkets and small businesses around Edinburgh from an unnecessary fate in the bin. It’s open for everyone. Simply come along to the Food Sharing Hub, fill a basket with food and take it for free or give a donation. How does it happen? To get all of this delicious food on our shelves, it takes a lot of work and a dedicated team of volunteers! ​ Step 1 In the evenings, our collection team travel round all our partner stores on cargo bikes collecting food that the stores haven't managed to sell. Step 2 These collectors then bring the food to a team of volunteers waiting at the Pavilion who sort through it and store it appropriately. This team take some of the food to local hostels on their way home. Step 3 The next morning, a team of volunteers from the Pavilion come in early to arrange the food on the shelves and put aside some food for other partner organisations. Step 4 Our doors open at 10:30am and our shelves are looking full and tidy - all thanks to all these people! We're open 7 days a week from 10:30am til at least 15:30pm -- sometimes longer!

The objects for which the charity is established are:- The prevention and/or relief of poverty by promoting and/or delivery of services, alone or in conjunction with others, that provide support and advice to people who are homeless or in other ways disadvantaged and vulnerable. The advancement of health by the promotion and/or delivery of services, alone or in conjunction with others, that encourage and emphasise healthy lifestyle matters to people who are homeless or in other ways disadvantaged and vulnerable. The advancement of community development by the promotion and/or delivery, alone or in conjunction with others, of learning and employability opportunities enabling people who are homeless or in other ways disadvantaged and vulnerable to be socially included and economically contribute to civic life. The advancement of education in the community by promoting and/or delivery of services, alone or in conjunction with others, that assist people who are homeless or in other ways disadvantaged and vulnerable with literacy, numeracy, life skills, work skills and social activities. The advancement of environmental protection and/or improvement by the promotion and/or delivery of services, alone or in conjunction with others, that reuse and/or recycle items from the waste stream. The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, financial hardship or other disadvantage by promoting and/or delivery of services, alone or in conjunction with others, that provide support, advice, practical assistance and opportunity to improve their circumstances. The promotion of equality and diversity by encouraging participation and integration into a range of inclusive and accessible programmes which strive to bring together a cross section of the community. We identify service users and their needs by referral, assessment, feedback equalities forum. Our organisation offers services to those in young people homeless hostels, domestic violence hostels and there is no charge for any services provided by our organisation.

Our aim is to be a part of the community and a place where people feel at home and at ease. Our hope is that food and services provided at the drop-in will benefit the community as we seek to help those most in need. Many who attend our service are on benefits or on low, to very low, income. Our debt and employability advice services are provided for not just those who attend the drop-in but also the wider community and are provided by trained employees who work across Edinburgh and the east of Scotland.