Thursday 2nd October was the Launch of our brand new Community Shop and Cafe in our Wellbeing Hub – read below to find out more.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, St Luke’s—like so many others—had to close its doors. But even in lockdown, our team asked one simple question: How can we help our community?

One of the answers came quickly. Local restaurants began dropping off food they couldn’t use. Supermarket shelves were bare. Residents were worried. So, with support from our food donation partners—Felix and City Harvest—and a team of incredible volunteers, we starting distributing emergency food supplies. This became a real lifeline for families and individuals struggling to put meals on the table.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we were able to expand our food donation programme by recruiting staff and supplementing donated produce with essential food and household supplies meaning we could reach even more people. We thought it would be temporary. But then came the cost-of-living crisis.

So, we adapted again. With further investment from Islington Council, we were able to create the Food Hub – a space where residents could not only access food but also advice and emotional support. We introduced an 8-week cycle of help: food, benefits guidance, employment advice, grants and more. A stepping stone to independence.

Today, our food programme remains just as vital. That’s why, with further support from Islington Council and Islington Giving, we are so excited to launch St Luke’s Community Shop & Café—a more sustainable, empowering model for local people living on low incomes. For just £5 a week, residents choose a basket of fresh food and essentials. But it’s more than a shopping experience. It’s a place to connect, get advice and feel supported—right in our café, in a warm and welcoming space.

Support lasts for 16 weeks. The shop and café are open every Wednesday. And behind it all is a community effort: volunteers, funders, partners and residents all working together to make it happen.

We’re proud of what we’ve built. And we’re so grateful—to the London Borough of Islington, Islington Giving, Felix Trust, City Harvest, our corporate partners and every single volunteer who have given their time and heart.

The launch of our new Community Shop and Café was a fantastic success! Our guests, including the Mayor of Islington, our Chairman, our partners, shoppers, funders and volunteers, were full of praise and delighted by what they saw. All the hard effort put in by our staff, volunteers and everybody in-between has paid off brilliantly. We are also really pleased to share the short film that tells the story of how the Community Shop began with our Covid food donations, available on our YouTube channel here:

https://youtu.be/i0cJcZUdERQ?si=wBK9QxFH6MNVNan6

Thank you so much to everyone in attendance and those supporting our new, exciting chapter of St Luke’s Community Centre.