Located at Saint Barnabas Church in Inham Nook, Hope Community Hub is a haven for anyone in need of support, companionship and nourishment.

With a guiding mission built on three powerful words - Embrace, Enliven and Enable - the Hub has become a vital part of the community.

Embrace – At Hope Community Hub, everyone is welcomed with warmth and kindness. It’s a place where people can connect and feel seen.
Enliven – The Hub is about joy and friendship, creating a space for laughter, fun, and life-giving interactions.
Enable – Here, everyone has something valuable to offer and, together, the community supports one another in finding purpose and empowerment.

Ryan Mellor, a Curate who runs the Hub, explains the breadth of support: “On Mondays, we run a Community Cafe and a Food Club with food from FareShare. Tuesdays, there’s a Food Bank and an After-School Drop-In. We have a Coffee Morning and a group for 12-16 year-olds on Wednesdays, and we’ve just started a well-being and mental health activity with a charity called Renew.”

Each week, over 200 people visit the Hub, from young families at the After-School Drop-In to older adults enjoying coffee mornings.

A Vital Community Resource

18 months ago Ryan was asked whether he would consider helping with a local Food Club at the Children’s Centre. Though he initially thought it was a simple change of venue, Ryan found that someone was needed to take over the management and running. Ryan and the team soon decided to go ahead, and managed a seamless transition of the Club to the Hub.

“It was a real partnership effort with the Local Authority, the team at the Children's Centre, our volunteers, the Church – and FareShare. It was a huge effort from everyone involved, requiring a lot of trust and goodwill. Ultimately, it felt like the project chose us!"

The need for food has only grown with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Income isn't sufficient to pay the bills, and more people are finding it impossible to make ends meet.

"The Food Club is where most of our FareShare produce goes,” Ryan says. “It’s meeting a critical need in our community with dignity and respect.”

A Community Driven by Purpose and Sustainability

At Hope Community Hub, food is more than sustenance - it’s an opportunity to make an impact. Many visitors are drawn to the Hub’s focus on reducing food waste and promoting sustainability.

“Some of our members are in crisis mode, simply looking for any food to get by. But there are also people who embrace our environmental message,” Ryan explains. “We eat the surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, and we share it with those who need it. It’s one of the simplest, yet most powerful, ideas imaginable.”

The Hub is more than a place to receive food; it’s a place to be part of a community. Many members now volunteer to run the Food Club, finding purpose and pride in their work.

“The Hub isn’t just about food,” Ryan says. “Some members are now part of the team, and they feel truly useful. That’s empowerment.”

Food as a Point of Connection

For Ryan, food is more than fuel - it’s a way to bring people together.

“Food is a gathering point, a talking point. It sustains us in so many ways,” he shares. “Our community is like a big family. One of the most beautiful visions of heaven is of a banquet, with people from all nations gathered around a table. That’s what FareShare has helped us create here - a simple, humble version of that vision every week.”

The Impact

One recent story shows just how much the Hub means to people in need. Geraldine, a volunteer who leads the Food Club, was giving a new member a tour of the mini-supermarket setup. She explained how visitors could choose from a selection of quality foods, all available at great value. As the new member looked around, she commented on the friendly atmosphere - people chatting, tea and coffee brewing, music playing softly - she then turned to Geraldine, gave her a hug and said “Thank you.”

A young mother with two small children said: “We started coming when it was held at the Children's Centre, when my daughter was quite little. At that time it was very much aimed at people with young children. It's just really useful for bringing down the cost of the weekly shop, basically. I really do notice when I come here, that my weekly shop is a lot smaller. It's also nice because it can give us a few little treats that we might not have even thought to buy – or I might have looked at the price and decided they were too expensive. It just frees up that little bit of money, that we can then spend on something a bit more fun.

Obviously, we mainly come for the financial reasons, but reducing food waste is also high up on our priority list. Also, accessing the food here makes us be a bit more adventurous with our vegetable choices. I enjoy the challenge of getting home and saying “right - what we can do with all these things?”. We especially appreciate the fruit and veg, because we're vegans, and there are sometimes some really nice vegan alternatives available. And, of course, the people here are so lovely – they’re really, really friendly.”

Help Us Keep the Hope Alive

Hope Community Hub relies on the essential food provided by FareShare Midlands. Food makes a real difference to people in crisis, offering not only nourishment but dignity, connection and hope. But we can only continue this work with your help.

With your support, we can provide more surplus food to local hubs like this one, ensuring that families, individuals and entire communities have the resources they need.