Gurseva FoodBank Heston Farm. Helping Our Community: Join Our Cause!

Helping Our Community: Heston Farm Community Food Bank has been running for over a year now and has only been possible thanks to the amazing volunteers we have. Partnering with the local community, Hounslow Council and The Felix Project we have been able to supply much needed provisions to those in desperate need caused by the current cost of living crisis. Volunteers are always welcome please sign up today, The Gurseva community Heston Farm Estate Food Bank stands out as a pioneering community-led initiative that blends compassion, innovation, and long-term thinking. What began as an emergency response to the cost-of-living crisis has evolved into a sustainable, dignified food redistribution model that empowers residents while reducing waste. Innovation lies at the heart of the project. Rather than operating as a traditional food bank, this initiative reframes food support as a collaborative, community-powered effort. By embedding the food bank within a wider circular economy, it links surplus supply from The Felix Project, local supermarket chains and businesses to local demand through regular pop-up distributions. Residents are not just recipients—they are partners, volunteers, and decision-makers in the process. This shifts the narrative from charity to solidarity. The project has taken bold initiative, establishing bi-weekly operations in 2024 with, minimal overhead, and a hyper-local reach. It mobilises community groups, schools, businesses, and residents—creating a model of distributed ownership. Partnerships with Gurseva, and local networks have turned food relief into a platform for broader wellbeing, learning, and environmental impact. Its sustainability stems from three core elements: strong local partnerships, continuous volunteer engagement, and waste-conscious sourcing. Over 3.4 tonnes of food have been rescued and shared to date—saving edible surplus from landfill while feeding 95–100 households per month. The food bank also adapts to community needs through regular feedback loops, ensuring cultural and dietary preferences are respected, enhancing uptake and relevance. Importantly, the project has overcome significant barriers. Initial stigma around food insecurity was tackled through a respectful, open-access approach that invites residents to give as well as receive. Infrastructure challenges—such as limited storage or transport—were solved through flexible logistics, shared space at the Heston Farm Community Centre, and committed volunteer coordination. Language, mobility, and digital exclusion have also been addressed through multilingual outreach and in-person support. Follow us: Follow us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/gurseva Twitter: @gurseva_london Instagram: @gurseva_london