“It feels like someone cares about you.”
Coldean Community Corner is a bright, welcoming space in a parade of shops at the heart of Coldean Village in Brighton. The former shop now has tables & seating, a “pay what you feel” coffee bar and the Pantry, which operates on a “Take what you Need, Pay What You Can” basis, allowing people to access the food when times are tight, then donate goods or money when they can better afford it. Coldean Community Corner is managed by Rosa Sharkey, supported by an enthusiastic team of volunteers.
Reducing Social Isolation
The Community Corner provides a warm and friendly spot for local people to mix and grab a drink, a snack and chat with friends. In the mornings the Community Corner is popular with the older community members, offering a great, affordable way to help reduce social isolation, and in the winter, when home heating can become a challenge, to warm up at no expense to themselves.
With a large student population in this area, often away from home for the first time, some young people can find themselves isolated. The Coldean Community Corner has provided many students with a friendly place to socialise, often volunteering in their spare time as well as appreciating the services offered while they try to get by on their student loans.
Helping Spread the Load for Hard Pressed Families
Since partnering with FareShare Sussex & Surrey, earlier this year, the Pantry can now offer a reliable place for local families to supplement their shopping and mitigate the effects of the cost-of-living squeeze with budget-friendly fresh fruit and veg.
Rosa spoke of the impact FareShare Sussex & Surrey has, saying: “..best is the mix; the fresh fruit & veg is really great but so too is the shelf stock of ambient groceries that we can have available on the shelf all week..”.
In term time afternoons, just as the local primary school finishes, the Community Corner explodes with noise, as hard-pressed mums and dads stop by to let the kids blow off steam while they grab a coffee, catch up with friends and take advantage of the Pantry.
Delivered weekly, the fresh produce is very popular with parents who can now rely on it to tide them over from payday-to-payday, along with the store-cupboard staples such as tins, pasta etc. that the Pantry holds in stock longer term.
One of the Mums, Rylie said: “It’s a great place to come – especially after school, plus I just got some veg. including red peppers that I needed for tonight’s tea!”.
One of the Community Corner’s key benefits to the Coldean residents is that they don’t require referrals, nor do they enforce a price for groceries, so when times are tight, people can come in and get enough to tide them over with whatever they have to spare. Then after the next payday they can make a monetary donation or contribute some provisions.
The relationship with FareShare Sussex & Surrey means the supply of fresh and nutritious food is always there when it’s needed the most.
If you would like to find out more about Coldean Community Corner or offer your support, find out more here or visit Facebook page.
Help us keep good food reaching local community groups – donate or volunteer today!