Sainsbury's Acklam Road Local

The Food Rescue Group in Middlesbrough takes a practical, community-led approach to tackling food waste and promoting sustainable living across the city. In the context of climate change, resource depletion, and growing environmental pressures, the importance of this work has never been clearer. A central focus of the group is addressing food waste, a major contributor to the unnecessary loss of resources and methane emissions from landfill. Tackling this issue is both environmentally essential and socially important, as surplus food can provide meaningful support to local families and individuals. The group works closely with local producers and retailers to ensure surplus food is put to good use rather than discarded. These partnerships help businesses reduce disposal costs while delivering clear environmental benefits. Pickup and distribution in Middlesbrough are coordinated by Sarah Russell and Adriana Dunose, who organise volunteer schedules, oversee collections, and ensure rescued food is delivered promptly, safely, and to where it is most needed. The initiative is driven by dedicated volunteers, including students from local universities and members of the wider community. Together, they collect and redistribute surplus food shortly after it becomes available, helping to preserve freshness and remove the need for long-term storage. All food collected is carefully inspected to ensure it meets strict safety standards. Any items that cannot be shared are disposed of responsibly to minimise environmental impact. Volunteer coordination takes place through a dedicated WhatsApp group, providing real-time updates on collection times, locations, and quantities. By diverting significant volumes of food from landfill, the Food Rescue Group in Middlesbrough is reducing methane emissions, conserving valuable resources, and strengthening community connections. Through consistent, local action, the group is helping build a more sustainable and inclusive future — one meal, one volunteer, and one community at a time.

FRESH START PROJECT CIC – Providing Hope, Safety and Fresh Starts Fresh Start Project CIC provides safe, secure accommodation and person-centred support for homeless men in Stockton-on-Tees, helping them rebuild their lives, regain stability and work towards a more independent future. We currently provide 15 supported accommodation spaces across our Portrack and Westbourne Projects. The men who come to us have many different stories. Some have been released from prison with nowhere suitable to live. Others have experienced relationship breakdowns, mental health challenges, drug or alcohol misuse, financial difficulties, or have found themselves sleeping on the streets. Our referrals come from prisons across the North East, Probation Services and local authority homelessness teams. More Than Somewhere to Sleep At Fresh Start Project CIC, we believe providing a roof is only the beginning. We work with each resident as an individual, helping them access healthcare, register with a GP and dentist, manage Universal Credit and benefits, access food banks and essential items, engage with mental health or drug and alcohol services, develop budgeting and independent-living skills, and build confidence, routine and stability. Our aim is to help each man take positive steps towards greater independence and a more secure future. People, Not Labels Homelessness can happen for many reasons. A relationship can break down. Someone can leave prison with nowhere to go. Mental health can deteriorate. Drug or alcohol misuse can take hold. Financial circumstances can change. Fresh Start Project CIC doesn't judge someone by where they've been. We work with them on where they want to go next. The men we support are not statistics. They are fathers, sons, brothers and members of our community who deserve dignity, support and another opportunity. What Support Do We Need? Many of our residents arrive at Fresh Start Project CIC with very little and live on extremely low incomes. Some rely on food banks and donations, particularly while waiting for Universal Credit or trying to make a monthly payment stretch. We are incredibly grateful for support with surplus food, toiletries, men's clothing, bedding, household essentials and other practical donations that can directly benefit our residents. We also welcome opportunities to work with local businesses, organisations and volunteers who share our commitment to helping people rebuild their lives. Something as simple as a meal, clean bedding or essential toiletries can make a genuine difference to someone starting again. These things don't just meet a practical need – they provide dignity, stability and show someone that their community cares. Our Mission Providing Opportunities, Hope and Fresh Starts to Those in Need. Behind each of our 15 spaces is a person and a story. Someone who deserves a safe place. Someone who deserves support. Someone who deserves another opportunity.

The message trust is a worldwide movement with a passion to share the love of jesus christ in words and actions with the hardest-to-reach young people, through creative mission, community transformation and christ-centred enterprise. We are supported by Fareshare, fareshare go and Northpoint housing. Middlesbrough council support and we work on a weekly basis with the drugs and alcohol teams and homeless We have accepted donations from Middlesbrough football club and Northpoint housing for free shops. Co-op offer donations to us on a weekly basis and help with there landfill scheme. The donations we collate from supermarkets we give away free with no charge, these go to families who struggle to complete a supermarket shop http://communitygrocery.org.uk is our charity link the Message Trust http://communitygrocery.org.uk/middlesbrough https://www.facebook.com/CommunityGroceryMiddlesbrough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y00-hEr-4mM ITN news report