More customers to benefit from affordable food service, thanks to our newest hub in Holts

Great news! Our customers in Holts and surrounding areas are set to benefit from an enhanced affordable food service, now we’ve started supporting The Bread and Butter Thing hub at ROC ‘n’ Rolls Holts Community Café.

The Holts hub means more of our customers can access the TBBT service, which provides three full bags of shopping worth £35  - one of fridge goods, one of cupboard goods and one full of fruit and veg – for just £7.50. Or customers can double up and get six bags, worth at least £70 for £15.

New and existing TBBT customers in Holts can also be referred for extra support from our specialist teams, should they need it. Our advisors can help with everything from managing money and applying for benefits, to finding volunteering opportunities and training courses to get back into work.

Other perks of our service include support from our Hardship Fund for customers who are struggling financially and a home delivery option for customers who can’t leave their home because they are shielding from Covid-19 or have other mobility problems.

Holts resident and one of our customers, Sarah* is accessing the service at Holts and says it’s making a positive difference to her family, “I’ve been shielding so getting out to the shops is difficult for me. This will be a big help to us and I’m happy with what you get for the money.”

The Holts TBBT hub is our fourth in the borough and Community Impact Manager, Dave Brereton has been pivotal in getting our partnership with organisers off the ground. He said: “Demand for our TBBT service has increased over the last three months, with people struggling for money because of the Covid-19 crisis. We’re pleased to now be working with the team at Holts, bringing good quality food to more our customers for a fraction of its usual price, so they don’t have to choose between buying food, paying bills or buying other essentials.

“The team of volunteers had already established a successful TBBT session and we’re looking forward to working with them to provide our customers with an enhanced service to benefit them and their families.”

In November 2019 we launched our partnership with Manchester-based food surplus redistribution charity The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT) and this year we’re investing £80k to help alleviate food poverty among our customers on low incomes. So far customers accessing the service have saved over £100,000 collectively.

Our service now operates four days a week from hubs across Oldham: Wallshaw Street Community Centre on Mondays; NEON in Greenacres on Saturdays, Sholver and Moorside Community Hub on Thursdays, and ROC ‘n’ Rolls Community Cafe in Holts on Fridays.

All TBBT services are operating strictly in line with government guidance to limit the spread of coronavirus.

If you’re an FCHO customer and want to find out more about The Bread and Butter Thing service, visit the dedicated page on our website.

*Names have been changed