A Brighter West Bowling

Aim

To increase our support to some of the most vulnerable in our area of deprivation over this winter, providing food, financial support etc.

About Shine West Bowling

We started nearly 10 years ago, aiming to respond to the needs that people in our community were telling us about. Starting with volunteers only, we now have 1 fulltime and 4 part time members of staff and partner with lots of other organisations, still aiming to meet the needs our community express, improve their wellbeing  and reduce the inequalities they face. Staff live in the area so know from being on the ground what is needed. We work in a wholistic way, aiming to reduce the need for people to travel between organisations to seek help for different issues.

Shine is all about 

Social wellbeing - reducing isolation and loneliness. Encouraging people from different ethnic and faith backgrounds to get to know each other. We have a number of groups that do this and run big events in the year.

Health. All the statistics show that we have poor health and a significant lower life expectancy than most other places in the country. We teach healthy eating, hold exercise classes and have a great outside space for games, well used by the community, local schools and pre-school groups.

Inner wellbeing. Always an issue, but now so much more since Covid, we see so many in our community who are struggling with their mental health. We run singing and creative groups, a men's support group and have a counsellor who works with us one day a week. We are now more aware of Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma, and see many of our clients affected by this. We are trying to play our part in teaching greater bonding in our baby and toddler groups, and providing long term, trusting relationships for the long haul with those we work with. One of our staff members works with those in addictive patterns of behaviour.

Natural wellbeing. We believe that we must care for the environment around us. We have one of the few green spaces in the area and have worked hard to plant trees and flowers, to create an area for all to use. We have a community vegetable garden and fruit for anyone to pick and eat. We heat through a biomass boiler and have won Eco awards for all we do in the midst of a city.

Economic wellbeing. Our community, being in an area of deprivation, has many members living in poverty,  so we run job clubs, help with CVs, give support around welfare benefits, housing, budgeting and much more. We also run Pantries to give low cost food. We were one of the first to link this to a Credit Union, so we give £1 into their Credit Union account each time someone attends one of our Pop Up Pantries.  We run a Children's Clothes Bank to provide families, often asylum seekers, with necessary clothes and items for babies. We worked all through Lockdowns giving out food parcels and activities, but also helping people access what they needed if they were unable to through language difficulties or not having technology.

This Project

The need for the economic help we give is increasing rapidly. Going from 20 people attending our food 'Pop Up Pantries' each week, we now have up to 60 and it grows every time we open. We used to use all food that was donated but we now need to start buying more wholesale ourselves.  We have a cookbook and hold classes to teach how to create meals  on a low budget, but now find some cannot afford to use an oven, so we are wanting to purchase slow cookers, and blenders. We love having the model of people paying a small amount for food, and having a choice of food, as it allows dignity and independence, but do give free vouchers where necessary.

Alongside this food help, we are looking to increase the amount of 1:1 support we give, ensuring people know how to budget, how to save energy and to claim all benefits they are entitled to. We need to increase staff hours to enable this to happen, so we do not have to turn people away when they so need advice. We will also give out hot water bottles, thermos flasks, thermals and blankets; and provide a warm space for people to come if they cannot afford heating at home. In our outdoor space we have a small 'pod' where we can house a homeless person for short periods, working with them to find longer term accommodation.

What people say about Shine

'"I'm here!" announced a Pop Up Pantry customer, demonstrating that they feel they belong to a community and have said this improved their mental health.

'I'm worried for where the next meal is coming from. I'm struggling to find the next food, to pay the next bill. I'm worried. I'll feed the boys, even if I don't feed myself. I'm dreading winter. I've got arthritis bad, in agony 24 7. I've made a lot of friends coming here. These workers here give their time to make sure we're all alright."       Grandma, who looks after her grandsons since her daughter died tragically.

 " The team at Shine do such a great job in the community, nothing is ever too much trouble and a solution is always found. I've spoken with several people who live in the area and have accessed Shine in the last few weeks, the work the team do is so invaluable. I can see the positive impact of having Shine in their lives has had"      Local housing officer

D is a man in his 50s who has had problems with drug misuse and his mental health since he was a teenager, much caused by his sexuality and not feeling accepted. During the pandemic he lost three members of his family, including his aunt who he was the carer for. He was in a very dark place, and also struggling financially, wondering how he could pay for food etc.
 D took time to form a relationship with us through coming to receive food, at first food parcels but then he moved over to the Pop Up Pantry and was helped with benefit and housing advice. He came slowly to trust us and now attends Pantry, Singing, and our men's group. He says " I sought help from Shine nearly two years ago and can honestly say it has saved my life."

This project successfully funded on 27th December 2022