Hays Bristol - Temple Quay

The overall aim of Poole Community Exchange is to meet the needs of people who are socially excluded and disadvantaged in society by offering facilities and services, including advice and signposting to specialist help, which will help them integrate into society and thrive, not just survive. We operate a unique ‘exchange’ model which comes from our belief that everyone has needs and everyone has something to offer. Our ‘strapline is “Take what you need: Give what you can”. Whether people need food, a warm space or somewhere they are accepted and whether people give time, skills, money or food supplies, we believe that everyone benefits by involvement. We have two core projects: • Poole Pantry, which is a membership-based community pantry. • The Community Living Room, which is a warm welcoming space with refreshments and leisure activities. WiFi and recharging points are available. We are a satellite for Poole Food Bank, providing emergency food parcels. Poole Pantry is for anyone struggling make ends meet, to help them eat a balanced and nutritional diet. Members can shop weekly for 10 items or less from a range of food including chilled, fresh and frozen as well as tins etc. We ask for a suggested donation of £5 towards our costs. The Community Living Room is open to all. We offer a range of hot drinks and cake as well as a healthy, hot 2 course lunch. We ask for a suggested donation with a reduction for pantry members. People struggling with money can eat for free. Current activities include games, colouring, Knit and Natter, an art group and Tai Chi. Gardening is also available. We ask people to donate what they can afford to help cover costs. The volunteer chef who cooks the lunches also provides lessons for people who lack skills or confidence, or who want to gain additional skills to help with employment and self-employment. We also offer additional support services including education and training and advice and guidance though various partners including Citizens Advice Bureau Urban Advice Vehicle, Chaplains from the Borough of Poole Chaplaincy Team, Tricuro COAST, SMILE, WISEability and others.

Started during the Covid pandemic, our Foodbank provides food to people in the local community who find themselves in crisis. We try to offer basic foodstuffs and toiletries to help families and single or homeless people. We are open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10.00am and 1.00pm.mornings

New Fosseway School is a 150 place provision for child and young people identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities from the ages of 4 – 19. We are committed to providing an environment which is challenging and stimulating; caring and supportive and which embraces a philosophy of active learning. Our curriculum enables learners to progress along the continuum from dependence with dignity to total independence. The highly individualised curriculum is supported by a multi-agency team which includes; Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Paediatricians. We would like use food such as fruits, vegetables and herbs to use in our cooking lessons that would otherwise go to waste and to understand where our food comes from. This will also create great opportunities' for our young people to learn and explore a variety of different tastes and textures, as well as help us to learn all about the environment, sustainable living and climate change. We are also keen to establish a sensory garden for all the young people at New Fosseway School to enjoy and connect with their sight, smell, sound, taste and touch helping with play skills, sensory integration, stress reduction and increase their agility and coordination. We are looking for compost, pots, seeds, plants, Herbs, Vegetables, Fruits, Feed, tools and anything that would support us to get up and running. Any help is greatly appreciated!