Highway Hope

Who are they?

Highway Hope is a registered charity and social enterprise that has been working to tackle food poverty since 2012. They have two locations in Manchester - Levenshulme and Openshaw - and one in Stockport.

What do they do and why?

Highway hope aims to tackle food poverty and reduce health inequalities by supporting local communities to improve access to nutritional and affordable food.

Their services included a free food bank and soup kitchen, a free community café, a safe community hub, charity, furniture, and grocery discount shops and more.

They deliver wide ranging support from their community centre in Levenshulme, including regular ‘CHIPS’ nights where they host a meal for families in the local community alongside their soup kitchen and café that provides free food to vulnerable people. The provision of a safe community space also tackles social isolation of local residents, who also receive support with life skills and pastoral services.

Their location in Openshaw, where they started their journey trading several years ago, is a second hand furniture store that sells reduced cost items to benefit local residents. Stockport is the home of their community food store that distributes food parcels, and a charity shop that also sells second hand items at discount prices.

What funding did they receive and how has it helped?

They received a social investment loan of £50,000 from the Access to Growth programme. The purpose of the investment was primarily to support them to grow their community food store in Stockport, which offers food at discount prices for local community members to ensure they have access to nutritional and affordable food.

The investment supported them to add 50 new lines of stock to the shop, with a specific focus on food that is culturally relevant to African communities meaning they are now able to support local residents with cultural food in their food parcels.

"This is the first store in Stockport supporting us with cultural food, it has saved us so much time and transport fare going into Manchester to do our shopping and the prices are so affordable”

What impact has the funding had?

The funding had a massive impact very quickly. In just 6 months, their daily footfall has doubled from 50 to 100 people, and this is only growing.

Find out more about Highway Hope and the work they do on their website: www.highwayhope.co.uk/

Or visit their locations:

Levenshulme – 1 Matthews Lane

Openshaw – 4 Lees Street

Stockport – 30 Princes Street.

They have just opened a beauty and photo shop in Openshaw – come and say hello!

 

 This investment was funded by The Growth Fund; a partnership between The National Lottery Community Fund and Big Society Capital, delivered by Access through a range of social investors. It makes up to £50m available to support charities and social enterprises to grow and create social impact in their communities. The Growth Fund uses a combination of grant funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, and loan finance from Big Society Capital and other co-investors, to address specific gaps in the social investment market.

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