GAIL'S St Margarets

We are a volunteer run group focused on reducing food waste and supporting local families in need. Our mission is simple: to make sure no one in our community goes hungry while tackling the growing problem of food surplus. Thanks to our partnerships with Neighbourly, Fareshare and Caboodle, we have benefited from strong relationships with local supermarkets and food providers—including M&S, Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Nando's, KFC, Co-op, Lidl, Aldi, Pret a Manger, and Gail’s Bakery—we rescue surplus food and redistribute it to those who need it most via personal contacts and our Partner Organisations. This gives us the ability to provide varied, nutritious food parcels at no cost to families and individuals facing food insecurity. In addition to fresh food collections, we also stock a community cupboard with ambient and non-perishable items, enabling members of our community to access support anonymously and with dignity. Our recipients are identified through word of mouth and referrals from local schools and community organisations. Each week, we supply the equivalent of 2250 meals to local families and indiviuals as well as primary schools and community groups - ensuring that anyone who needs food can access it easily. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable community where food is shared, not wasted.

- General charitable purposes - Education/training - The advancement of health or saving of lives - Overseas aid/famine relief - Children/young people - Elderly/old people - The general public/mankind - Makes grants to organisations - Provides human resources - Provides services - Acts as an umbrella or resource body

We offer a morning drop-in Monday - Friday, 9am - 11am, providing casework, a hot breakfast, surplus food, clothing, showers, nursing, telephone, internet and postal services, tea and coffee and connection to a supportive community. All our services are complimentary. We are also a hub for other outreach services who we work closely with, e.g. Glassdoor, St Mungo's, Salvation Army Employment Service, RCDAS (Richmond Community Drug and Alcohol Service), Spear Homeless Charity. Our charity shop sells affordable clothing and bric-a-brac and supports vulnerable guests with free clothing and items for setting up a new home. All profits are used for the benefit of our charitable work. The Richmond Foodbank provides emergency food for local people in crisis. It also operates at other locations across the borough. We work with local referral partners who assess people's needs and issue free vouchers to use at our foodbank. We also host other groups and services in the afternoons such as Citizens Advice, Mind Craft Group, Ukrainian Support Group and a Women's Hub.