Sainsbury's Camden Parliament Hill Local

We are part of Cooperation Town, a non profit network of community led food co-ops. The co-op grew from, and built on, the support which was fostered by Junction Mutual Aid which supported local people through the pandemic. The food co-op is a small buying group, which provides our members with affordable food (and a small number of other household products) which are bought in bulk and re-distributed at a very low price as part of the membership fee It is based in the Community Centre on a large housing estate in North Islington; it is open twice a week (Wednesdays 11.00 - 1.30 and Thursdays 10.00 - 11.00) to coincide with other community activities which are taking place at the same time, and attract more members. However, the membership is open to anybody who lives locally. People learn about the co-op through local leafletting, posters, networks and word of mouth. The co-op is owned by its members, who decide together what to buy and how to run the co-op. Membership is not means-tested in order to give the members a sense of dignity by not seeing this as handouts; our ethos is to avoid food waste and to share with others. There are currently 72 members in the co-op, who contribute £3 on each weekly visit (but only if they visit). For this amount, the members can choose food and household goods from the available stock. Some items are limited in order to share equally, but the co-op remains committed to allowing members to pick their own items to match their dietary choices and needs. Between 20 and 30 members use the co-op each week. In addition to the stock of dried goods and household products, plus fresh fruit and vegetables which we buy from the Cooperation Town Food Hub, we have established regular partnerships with some local shops and supermarkets which donate surplus fresh food and other goods each week. We arrange for these goods to be collected safely and taken to the community centre. We also benefit from weekly deliveries from the Felix Project, which has supported our co-op since its start in November 2021. We have a food store, with fridges and freezers, for our sole use, and recently we have established arrangements to buy fresh fruit, vegetables and fish from local traders which has extended our food offer. Apart from the obvious benefits of giving people access to good food for a very small cost, and avoiding food waste, there have been many examples of the food co-op developing community support and creating friendships. Members swap recipes and food knowledge, as well as trying new foods. Members keep an eye on others who may need extra help; people who have not attended for a while are contacted. Some deliveries are made to the housebound, and people offer to carry heavy bags for those who are less able. Our next project is to raise funds to buy a cargo ebike so that we can safely and sustainably collect and deliver food in our busy urban area, and to increase the amount of food which we can collect.

Specifically, a female only complex needs accommodation service, working with vulnerable women at risk of or having had experience of complex trauma, domestic violence and sexual, physical and emotional abuse. As it is a non-catered service any food surplus donations received will be used by both individual service users and service staff to facilitate cooking activities for the residents. Further on SHP: - Education/training - The prevention or relief of poverty - Accommodation/housing - Children/young people - Elderly/old people - People with disabilities - Other defined groups - Provides services - Provides advocacy/advice/information - Other charitable activities

The Holly Lodge Community Centre is a small registered charity run by volunteers, serving our local community. Located on the site of a former dining pavilion on the historic Holly Lodge Estate in Highgate, London, we have two venues: Holly Lodge Community Centre, situated at 30 Makepeace Avenue, and Holly Lodge Nursery, located one street away in Oakeshott Avenue. Holly Lodge Community Centre is a welcoming community hub in Highgate that offers a range of activities, events, and support for local residents. We provide opportunities for people to come together through social activities, fitness and wellbeing sessions... free creative classes, £4 lunch clubs, film club (free), and free advice services, helping people stay active, connected, and supported in their community. We also make our space available for classes, meetings, workshops, and other local events, so the centre can continue to be a friendly and useful place for community life. We identify service users and their needs through regular engagement with local residents, direct feedback, and close links with community partners. As a community centre, we are in ongoing contact with people through our activities, events, and informal day-to-day conversations, which helps us understand the issues affecting them. Surplus food donations would be distributed to local residents and community members who are facing financial hardship, food insecurity, or isolation. We would use the donations in a safe and organised way through the community centre, helping people access useful food items while reducing waste.