Latest news with #VitalVillage
BBC News
03-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Elmbridge Borough Council plans overhaul of community services
Community services in a Surrey borough are due to be overhauled under plans to reach more people and move away from supporting only the Borough Council has outlined plans to stop its meals on wheels service and hand over the running of its six community centres, among other authority says one in nine of its residents is experiencing financial hardship but that its current community services help fewer than 1% of the Elmbridge member Gill Coates said the council would be moving away from a "buildings based" service. "At the moment our services are entirely focused on the elderly and we know that about 11.7% of people in Elmbridge are vulnerable or in need of some support and that is across a different demographic," Coates told BBC Radio said this included young people, unpaid carers, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, some without English as a first language, and working previously voiced concerns when the running of Thames Ditton Community Centre was handed over to Vital Village. The council could reduce its spending on community services by £1m each year under the proposed changes, but said there would be initial investment to support the transition said the council would be "spending less but reaching more people"."That's not to say that we're going to stop supporting those people, they will remain very much of what we're doing, but it's broadening and helping more." Alex Munro, the rector at St Peter's Church in West Molesey, said there were "big gaps" in those being supported in the church and its partners offer support through homeless shelters, a foodbank and youth groups including working alongside the council."We're a last chance saloon for quite a lot of people," he plans are due to be decided by the council's cabinet later this month.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Community shop boosted by influx of strawberries
A community shop which 'rescues' surplus food has been given a boost after receiving a huge influx of strawberries. The Vital Village community shop in Thames Ditton sells surplus food to the community at discounted prices from various places, including supermarkets and warehouses. Earlier this week the shop received "about 3,000 berries" from partners including Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Sainsbury's. The shop's founder, Vicky Zadeh, says the inundation of strawberries has proven "super popular". She said: "They are bringing people from far and wide from around Thames Ditton. Many haven't even seen us or used us before - and it's changing the perception of what we do." The community shop forms part of a community centre leased to Vital Village last year. Ms Zadeh said the shop provides food for anyone, "whether your reason is from a financial perspective, or whether you want to rescue some food and do your bit for the environment". The shop is run by almost 90 volunteers, including Alison Barnett, who said interest has been "phenomenal" since the berries arrived. She said: "We've had people who say, 'well I've lived in Thames Ditton for so many years and I didn't know you were here until the berries news got out'." An M&S spokesperson said: "We work closely with our suppliers to reduce food waste at source and in-store, through our partnership with redistribution platform Neighbourly - making sure any edible surplus food reaches those who need it most in the community. "Last weekend, we had more strawberries left than usual so our team donated them." Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. New start-up to take over community centre Vital Village Community Hub
