Sainsbury's St Helens Millfields Local

Bright Start Homes is an established Community Interest Company that currently works with several local authorities across the north of England providing supported exempt accommodation to some of society's most vulnerable. Our aim is to assist local authorities with their supported housing needs for individuals that require high quality care, support, and supervision. We have an operational portfolio, currently providing this type of accommodation to over 300 service users. We also work in partnership with multiple Registered Provider of Social Housing to deliver these opportunities.

Our community pantry helps local people access affordable food while reducing food waste by redistributing surplus food intercepted from a variety of sources. We are passionate about rescuing good food that would otherwise be discarded and ensuring it benefits people within our community instead. The pantry operates on a low-cost membership basis, with a £5 annual membership fee and £3 per shop (maximum of two shops per week). Members can choose from a wide range of food, helping families and individuals stretch their budgets while maintaining dignity and choice. As well as supporting people with food, we aim to create a welcoming and inclusive community space. Last year, we refurbished and extended our building to better serve local people and recently opened a weekly Pay-As-You-Feel Café. The café is already proving to be a popular and valued space where people can enjoy affordable meals, meet others, and access support in a warm and friendly environment. Everything we do is volunteer-led and rooted in community, sustainability, and supporting local people through challenging times.

Compassion Acts supports adults and children facing hardship by providing emergency food through Southport Foodbank, in line with The Trussell guidelines. Alongside this, we run Food Pantries, a Community Market and offer benefits advice, including advocacy and support at benefit tribunals. Our projects are delivered across the North Sefton area. While the Foodbank provides vital emergency assistance for people in crisis, its support is designed to be short term. Many families and individuals continue to struggle once the immediate crisis has passed. Our Food Pantry helps bridge that gap by offering members the opportunity to shop for around £30 worth of groceries each week for just £5, choosing the items that best suit their household. Val turned to Compassion Acts after facing a long wait for her benefits. Referred first to the Foodbank and then to the Food Pantry, she found more than just practical support. "I was full of panic and anxiety, wondering how I was going to cope if I ended up on the street. The volunteers at the Food Pantry were lovely. It gave me back my confidence and self-esteem. Without going there and meeting people, who knows what could have happened?"