Farrer & Co

We run a surplus foodbank in Somers Town in the borough of Camden in London. All thanks to 50 local volunteers who help us to support 80 local households, 11 hostels, 1 after-school club and 1 church group. We are supporting just over 125 children now living in poverty. We do this by collecting surplus from 45 local stores every week and redistributing them in a timely manner all thanks to each volunteer commiting to a regular shift weekly/ alternate weeks. Collections are made by bicycle using hitch on/off trailers, by foot using hand carts and some volunteers use their cars for those big collections and drop-offs to big hostels. We also operate a 'Room of thing's where local households that we support can take anything they need from. Items are donated by local businesses and people. There isn't much we can't find a home for. In our small courtyard we also have a surplus cart where people passing by can take what they need. This is about supporting local people whilst also being a part of a circular reuse mode. Our volunteers support us with so much more, from helping local residents with their CVs, mentoring, sewing surplus food bags from textile waste, running a monthly free clothing swap and more. Our project is person centred, each volunteer has something meaningful to offer a local person; this is where community happens. We are just a team of 2 and are BAME-Led. Our work with Neighbourly is a key part to be able to support local people. You can find out more about the impact your support has on our beneficiaries on our website and you can visually see what our operation looks like on our instagram. We always need volunteers.

We run a weekly foodbank out of the WG Grace community centre at Grove Park. It is open Wednesdays 10am - 11am. This will be staffed by volunteers and the ChART Cic. Our food bank will provide an important resource for the local community . By offering a range of resources and advice on our food bank days. We will be able to support the health and well-being of individuals and families. We know that within the Chinbrook area there is a higher number of people unemployed and only 34% are in full time employment. 24% of children are living in poverty. 19% of people live with a life limiting illness . Supporting those in need with immediate food support and with advice will help people manage their difficulties and to move forward. What we require is a constant supply of food both ambient and perishable to help us help our community.

- Education/training - Provides advocacy/advice/information Onwards and Upwards is a registered UK charity that creates businesses to train and recruit ex offenders to help them back into community and break the cycle of reoffending. Our first business, XO Bikes, trains ex-offenders to be cycle mechanics at no cost to the trainee, delivering the accredited Velotech bike mechanics training syllabus. Upon successful completion of the training programme and showing a high degree of competence, we offer the opportunity to apply for a full-time role at XO Bikes, employed as a bike mechanic in our workshop. Our first Business is XO Bikes https://www.onwardsandupwards.uk/xo-bikes We currently like to provide all our trainees access to a free lunch and surplus food support whenever we can both during course dates and post subject to employment conditions. We currently have a team of 5 rising to 30 between now and December 2022 We currently have support from Greggs the baker and receive referrals from organisations, such as Catch 22, however would welcome any further support.