ALDI MACCLESFIELD - SILK ROAD

I have recently opened a Community Fridge which I run from my house. It is a new shed that contains a fridge, freezer and shelving so we can store foods correctly that can be used by the local people in our village and surrounding areas. I work closely with other local businesses in the village too. All the services I provide are free. Before Christmas my children and a couple of volunteers made up food boxes and delivered these to around 50 houses in our local village which everyone appreciated. We have around 100-150 people drop by each week that take the food, and certainly a demand for it in our area. We have a parish magazine that I was mentioned in last month and this next month now my shed is fully open(we’ve had a new tarmac drive) so had to just adjust and work round this!) they have written a piece about me to go in Aprils edition. Here are some photos attached of the shed and my little boy helping me in his wheel chair deliver the food boxes before Xmas. Also a photo of me with all the potatoes we saved from sainsburys before Xmas when the other charities were closed so they asked me if I could take them. Another photo attached of inside my shed with the fridge and freezer and the shelving - currently empty but will be full of bread later!

The proposed ‘Cre8 Project Grow’ envisions a sustainable, low-cost community food network, accessible neighbourhood green space and local people developing their own community, health & wellbeing activities. Cre8 distributes surplus donated food to young people and their families on the Moss Rose Estate in Macclesfield. Young people help to sort and distribute the food, giving them valuable work experience and life skills. The food is then given out to those in need. We will take any kind of food donations and can safely transport, store and distribute. Please get in touch if you're able to support us.

In 2013 it was noticed that there was a huge increase in the number of individuals and families accessing food banks in Stockport. We wanted to find a way to help before they reached the crisis point of needing emergency food parcels. This where we came up with the idea for Your Local Pantry. Penny Lane Pantry was launched in August 2013. with 150 memberships available. Members pay a small, weekly subscription fee of £2.50 and in return members can select at least 10 items from the pantry's shelves - often worth in excess of £15.00 at retail. The pantry stocks a wide range of goods including fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen, toiletries and all the usual store cupboard favourites. However, the pantry is more than just about food,. We offer local residents the opportunity to volunteer in the shop helping them to build confidence, gain new skills and attend training. 10 people have moved on to full time, paid employment thanks to the support the pantry offers. The pantry holds cookery courses and demonstrations encouraging people to try new things and cook their own recipes from scratch, using all the ingredients from the pantry. The pantry has proved so successful we know how 4 shops across Stockport, supporting over 600 members and staffed by 35 volunteers.