About
VISITING US ON A SATURDAY
Q: what time do you open on a Saturday?
We open the doors at 9am on a Saturday to start giving out tickets for the food bank, which opens at 11am. In the meantime, you are welcome to share a tea or coffee with us, and a pastry in our cafe space.
Q: do I need I need to fill out any forms?
Absolutely not. We won’t ask you any questions whatsoever, you are free to use the food bank regardless of your personal situation, income, address, status or anything else. We don’t keep any records or even take your name, so you can come completely anonymously.
Q: how does the ticket system work?
As we get really busy on a Saturday, we use a ticket system to make things run as smoothly as possible. When you arrive one of our team (wearing a bright pink SNCK tshirt) will give you a raffle ticket with a number on it (it could be any number- the ticket book doesn’t always start from 1!).
At 11, we will call out your number and you can come and take your shopping. We run a ticket system so that people don’t have to stand up in a queue for a long time, but can sit down and relax knowing they will get called when it is their time to use the food bank. Listen out for your number being called by one of our volunteers at the door to the hall. You can pick up a ticket from 9am - just make sure you’re back in time for 11am when the foodbank opens.
Can I pick up a ticket for a friend?
You can only pick up a ticket for yourself. If you’re picking up a ticket for someone who has mobility or care issues and can’t come in, please speak to a member of the volunteer team to see if we can arrange an alternative system for them to get them what they need.
Q: what kind of food do you give away?
As our food comes from surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, we never know exactly what we get in from week to week but we usually have fruit, veg, pasta and tinned food.
Q: are teas and coffees free?
Yep!
Q: are children allowed?
Absolutely! We try and put on activities for kids of all ages every Saturday, but we do ask that parents supervise their children at all times, and don’t leave them unattended as we can’t be responsible for them while you’re in the building.
Q: what time do you close?
We close at 2pm on Saturdays
Q: is the food halal? Do you do a vegan or vegetarian option?
As our food comes from surplus food that would otherwise go to waste unfortunately we can’t guarantee that our meat is halal every week, but whenever it comes it we make sure we use it for our community lunches, and we will always let you know if the food is or isn’t halal. We always do a vegetarian option.
Q: can I get my lunch to takeaway?
Yep!
Q: can I get a takeaway for a friend?
It depends how busy we are, so if you want extras there may be some available but you’ll have to stick around until service is done to know if there are extra meals to take away.
Q: can I smoke in the garden?
Sorry- our building is smoke and vape free so you’ll need to go out the front.
Q: What time is lunch served?
Lunch is served around 12-12:30pm
I noticed that some people pick up a food parcel instead of getting a ticket. Why is this?
This is because we make up a small number of food parcels for guests who have mobility issues so can’t use the foodbank the usual way. Please speak to a member of the volunteer team if you would like to get a food parcel made up for you because you can’t access the food bank.
During the week:
Q: can I really eat for free, or do I have to make a donation?
Yes, you really can. We won’t ask you for any information about yourself, or get you to fill in a form either.
Q: can I come as often as I like?
You can come and eat for free as often and for as long as you like.
Q: do you give away groceries and clothes etc during the week?
Yes, we give away groceries, clothes, nappies and toiletries during the week. Whatever we have is usually left out in the cafe area for you to help yourself.
Q: what time are you open during the week?
The Community Caff is open 10am-3pm during the week. You might notice the door open at other times- that’s because we run some youth activities in the evenings and share the space with other groups who might have events or activities running.
Q: How do I find out what activities you have on?
Have a look at our timetable here.
Food Deliveries:
Q: Do you do deliveries? If so, to who?
We have a small team of delivery drivers who deliver groceries and hot meals to our guests who are unable to get to us on a Saturday afternoon for health reasons or care demands. If you need food but cannot get to us for health/care needs, please drop an email to hello@soutnorwoodcommunitykitchen.co.uk and we will let you know if there is space on our deliveries list. Please note that all of our drivers are volunteers, and you may get a different driver every week. The timing of your delivery may also change slightly week by week, but we aim to get your food parcel to you between 1pm and 3pm.
Q: Do you do deliveries during the week?
Unfortunately at the moment we only do deliveries on a Saturday.