Currys

Initially, Emmaus Suffolk will provide work opportunities and experience to those who have been unemployed for a long time. By offering volunteering roles within our (not for profit) business we want to give people the chance to make a difference for themselves, in a supportive environment through work related training. We will follow the proven Emmaus Social Enterprise model which has been successfully implemented across the UK, by setting up a charity shop restoring and selling recycled furniture. Once the social enterprise is income generating, surpluses will support a Community House where the volunteers can live. Companions (our volunteers that are homeless or workless) will be provided with employment, training, increased skills and experience, knowledge and self-respect and a place to live. Independent research by Cambridge University in 2008 showed that with the potential savings to the criminal justice, legal and health systems, an Emmaus Community has the potential to save the tax payer over £24,000 per resident each year.

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.

ICSS is a small, grassroots, 100% volunteer-run registered charity operating since 2004. We are a passionate group of volunteers helping children from vulnerable groups, such as refugees and children affected by domestic violence in East London, achieve their full potential through education, and in time, they can understand the value of giving back to society. We also operate a food bank serving referred families, providing food and other essentials.