We have outgrown our community hub and need to raise money for a bigger community building. There is one, but the NHS are selling it - help!
The door opened with a bang, Laura (not her real name) fell into the hub, tears streaming down her face. This was a person in crisis, and Shildon Alive was the place she found support. Caring for our community is what we do, we are not into targets and service users, we are into local people looking out for local people, and we do. Last year we shared over 7000 meals donated locally, shared over 90 coats in the cold weather, saw over 800 children garden across our community, shared tons of food waste. We share, because that is what we do, sharing a hug, sharing food, sharing support.
Sometimes we might get 15 Laura's in the hub at one time, our advice people (people who have been there too!) run out of private places to talk. Our food support overflows into two other buildings, donated furniture sits around the town in peoples garages. We have run out of space, and we have a dream!
Imagine a place where kids learned to cook healthy food while their parent was doing job searches. Where debt advice and chances to save were available together, where anyone could sign up to learn how to grow their own food, budget, or just have a chat and cup of tea. Dream about a place where courses designed to improve our chance of a job, while sharing all that left over food supermarkets bin was a reality. Then imagine this place in the centre of Shildon. Yes we are economically deprived (bottom 5% apparently) but we are filled with great people.
We are calling our dream a 'food and finance solidarity centre' us, you and me, working together for us all. Nearly five years of working together has taught us loads, we know that Shildon people can make the changes our town needs, can build a good future for our kids, can make a difference.
But (and there's always a but) the NHS are selling the town's most perfect building for our needs. We wanted to lease it, but no, and in Feb it will be auctioned. We need loads, £100,000 in fact, but hey, that is only 100,000 people giving £1 each and there are a lot more than that in this country. If we don't secure this building, the money raised will be ring fenced to help us buy/lease another suitable building as soon as we can.
So please help support us - we want to support you. Together we can build a better Shildon.
This project successfully funded on 9th February 2018