3Food4U .org

In early March 2020, in the first lock down, Pesh Kapasiawala our Chair of Trustees, started a local Covid-19 support group for Chigwell, which was very busy helping with shopping/prescription collection and errands
for the elderly and vulnerable. During that period he was contacted by a colleague to help a catering company distribute surplus stock, which turned out to be a PLC with tens of thousands of employees which supplied most ofthe UK supermarkets. We distributed 100s of tonnes offood all over London and Essex to foodbanks, community kitchens and charities all of which otherwise would have been destroyed.
Then at the beginning of June 2020 Pesh had an idea to make the surplus food available to thepublic, where we could directly reach people in need. Most importantly we did not want to assess people or ask for a referral. With so much surplus food and the stress and delay that it causes to the people who need it, there was no need. We were very conscious that it can be embarrassing and awkward asking for support for the most basic essentials, food and clothing, especially when you have been self-sufficient all vour life. That's why we don't ask for an assessment or referral and are non-judgemental. If you're brave enough to ask for help, we give it, we trust people. The whole process is very natural, just like going shopping. We are not labelling this as a foodbank, but a community surplus hub, as much of what we are distributing would be sent to landfill.
We sign-post people to various agencies including DWP, Essex Children's and Family Services, CAB, wellbeing groups, debt relief charities and NHS amongst others. We are very proud that the vision we had is now a reality in Waltham Abbey (Monday and Friday), Loughton (Tues), Chigwell Row (Wed), Ongar (Thur) and in Tottenham (Sat/Sun/Tues) operating 7 days a week, accessible to the whole of Epping Forest District, North London and Essex. We are now the largest emergency food support agency in Essex and London. We are supporting over 1500 families/4000 individuals per week. We have over 300 volunteers, 4 large vans, warehousing, two shops and more.
In addition to this, another big motive is to stop much of what we have been given by large PLCs going to landfill. We have distributed over 1500 t o n e s of food which is the equivalent of 800,000 meals, saving
100,000s tonnes of CO2 going into the atmosphere.
We're much more than just emergency food support though. We have a range of services to provide aholistic
approach to community wellbeing. Including free counselling/coaching health & wellbeing support and NHS
health checks, job club, Food Education Classes, Numeracy skills training. Our free Social & Memory Cafes
are open to anyone who would like to socialise and are dementia friendly for people with varying degrees of memory issues and those who love and care for them with free light refreshments. We have 4 sessions a month
ni different locations across Epping Forest District Council. We also have a traditional charity shop ni Waltham Abbey where all funds raised are used to deliver our vital services.

Our ethos is treating and supportingp eoplehumanely with dignity and respect.