Whitefoot and Downham Community Food + Project - wdcfplus

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Whitefoot and Downham Community Food + Project - wdcfplus

wdcfplus offers a range of services to combat deprivation within our local area. Initially providing
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wdcfplus was created for people experiencing hardship and poverty. Our focus is primarily on the provision of food, as well as working with other statutory and voluntary agencies to support people's heath and wellbeing. The food project had been established by several churches, a community project and a Local Councillor, all based in and around the area and within the London Borough of Lewisham. T

he founders include Brook Lane Community Church, Catford (Southend) and Downham Team Ministry, Eco Communities, Lewisham Public Health, Whitefoot Lane Christian Centre, Pastor David Brown of LWCC Food Services and Cllr Janet Daby, Local Councillor for Whitefoot Ward. Key collaborators have been Martin Bredimere, Pastor David Brown, Donald Daby, Janet Daby MP, Pastor Andrew Junaid, Smita Hanciles, Rev'd Stuart Leck, Pastor Matt Lofthouse, Darren Taylor.

Address

480 Whitefoot Lane
London
BR15SF

Opening Hours

7pm - 8:30pm

Telephone

+447745258841

Website

http://www.wdcfplus.org.uk/

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Our Story

What do we do?

wdcfplus offers a range of services to combat deprivation within their local area. Initially providing a food service for those experiencing hardship and poverty, the food project also offers advice support from voluntary and statutory agencies, such as Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Parent's Support Group (PSG), and Phoenix Community Housing. It has also encouraged the engagement of local residents through community activities and events like BBQs, community gardening, and cooking skills classes.

How did wdcfplus come about?

wdcfplus was set up initially to recognise local needs arising from deprivation, particularly in Whitefoot and Downham areas of the London borough of Lewisham. The food project was founded in 2013 by then Ward Councillor Janet Daby MP, a community organisation, Eco Communities, and several local churches, including Brook Lane Community Church, Catford (Southend) and Downham Team Ministry and Whitefoot Lane Christian Centre (now known as Hope Church Downham). Their goal was not only to assist with food provision, but also to tackle the root causes of poverty for those in need of food support, and bring more opportunities to help communities overcome social isolation and loneliness, support families and help individuals with a wide range of needs.

Who do we help?

At present wdcfplus sees approximately 60 individuals come through their doors, which generally serve 132 people (adults and children) a week. Most are on a food and support programme lasting 6 weeks to 6 months, even though 1 new 'visitor' also turns up to the project a week, having been referred to wdcfplus by its various community partners. They too are approved for a programme depending on need, which is reviewed once the period of their individual programmes expires.

Within the two and a half years wdcfplus has been in operation, approximately 1000 local households have accessed the food project, whether for temporary or longer-term hardship relief.

In some cases wdcfplus has helped build confidence for some to enter employment and training (or even become volunteers for the food project), or it has been a lifeline for others where their benefits have been frozen or stopped. Some visitors need ongoing support due to severe debt or being a low income earner. From May 2016 wdcfplus has seen 85% of our visitors attend the project because of low income, 65% because of lack of money and 58% because they are currently unemployed. (43% of those on benefits are claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which is for people who have an illness, health condition or disability that makes it difficult or impossible to work.) The main age groups are 46-55yrs at 29% and 36-45yrs at 24%. Overall, the highest ethnicity of visitors that come to wdcfplus is White British at 57%.

For more information about wdcfplus and what we do, please feel free to visit our website: http://wdcfplus.org.uk/