Home Springs Eternal

There is an identified need in our community for essentials that help families and individuals to feel settled at home. As we head into Spring, we want to deliver packages to people to help them during the cost of living crisis. These will include new kettles, toasters, quilts, pillows, bedding, cutlery, blankets, essential kitchen equipment and shower curtains, towels, as well as cleaning and hygiene items. They will be catered for each person/family’s needs and especially for those who are having to move into a home with just days notice – such as fleeing domestic violence, or given asylum.

Onward community drop in activities

We currently run a weekly food aid drop in session that has also gown in to a social gathering opportunity. Apart from supporting people with food items we have become aware of other needs both emotioinal and practical. As part of the drop in we also have Plymouth claiments union who meet every fortnight to support people with benefit advice. We would like to expand with other activities and support to people.

We have had many requests for various other support, both practical and creative and see there is great need. We would like to engauge a community sessional worker.

CityPlym Coummunity SUpport Hub

Our current initiative was launched in December 2019, in response to the needs of our student community. A group of Access to Higher Education students realised that a group of their peers were struggling financially and were often unable to afford basic food items. To address this issue they approached the students union for assistance in establishing a food bank, a project that has developed swiftly and supported many students, particularly during the lockdown period of COVID. In May 2022, due to the additinal services added (honelessness, personal hygiene, young parents, clothing) our initiative was relaunched: CityPlym Community Support Hub.

Cost of Living Workshops

We would like to deliver free cost of living workshops within a variety of Plymouth organisations (e.g. wellbeing hubs and CICs) for 4 weeks in order to support the community through the cost of living crisis and to help them to manage their wellbeing. The workshops will embed practical skills to help make your money go further, include stress and emotion management techniques, develop a growth mindset, embed simple tips for all and provide a safe space to talk, explore healthy eating on a budget, provide food vouchers to the community and look at how we can develop financial resilience.