Getir Nechells

TOGETHER WE CAN HELP STOP HUNGER From donating food, volunteering your time or taking on an exciting fundraising challenge, there are lots of ways to get involved with raising awareness of poverty and helping stop UK hunger. Working together is the only way to end hunger. We’ve built many partnerships to pursue new and better approaches, accelerate the success of our programs, and get food and resources to those who need them most. Our motivation is derived from the fact that more than a quarter of a million people are homeless in England (BBC). The figures show homelessness hotspots outside London, with high rates in Birmingham, Brighton and Luton. To continue with our organisational mission of reaching out to those needing help the most; and practicing “charity begins at home”, we started food distribution drive in Birmingham. Although the government says that it is investing £500m in homelessness we still come across quite a large number of people needing their food supplies on daily basis. Although the projects UKCAB runs, coordinate in improving the community development pace by offering free education which will enable people to gain skills and avoid homelessness by getting jobs or starting their own businesses, we witness people who are in dire need of basic necessities to survive.

We are now feeding over 1000 people per month many struggling to buy food. This in turn stops many from shop lifting and helps those who desperately need help. We operate on a referral basis from various agencies including the Council, Police, Homestart, Housing Associations, Job Centre, local churches and local Community Groups. Our clients are usually homeless, jobless, elderly, infirm, low income workers and those in temporary financial difficulties. We supply our clients with a good variety of food which also includes frozen and fresh food. We have now moved to B6 7QA about 5 mins away. We were on GMTV plus central TV Gmtv have been to our foodbank twice and seen the work we are doing win helping to provide food parcels to those in need. We are also on facebook bethany community foodbank

Our Church aims to be a God-centred oasis in the centre of Sutton Coldfield. We provide a range of Christian religious services and also use our premises for a variety of community-related activities. These include: - a community cafe - Cafe Oasis, operating 3 days each week -a food bank - Food4U - a parish nursing service - offering whole person advice and support - a parent and toddlers group - a full suite of age-related Scout and Guide groups for young people - a thriving university of the Third Age for older folk Our mission statement includes the phrase 'all are welcome'.