HOME & FURNITURE - LOW COST AFFORDABLE FURNITURE
The Tree of Life Centre is best known for its furniture reuse, diverting quality used furniture and household goods from landfill to families and individuals to raise living standards and improve wellbeing.
We Increase the quality of life for low or no income families, We are a lifeline for many in desperate need of food, clothing, dignity and a sense of belonging.
We are able to make an Immediate and long term sustainable difference to individuals and their families, through the services that we provide.
In the summer of 2019, through our Back to School campaign, we were able to support over one hundred families with new and used school uniforms over a period of three weeks. Huge thanks to Vodafone and Manchester City Football team who sponsored our Back to School Campaign.
HEALTH & WELLBEING - MINIMISING SOCIAL ISOLATION, STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY
We provide social action and activities that improve the health and wellbeing of residents.
Our Wellbeing programmes help to minimise Social Isolation
Our Health and Wellbeing programme continues to grow through regular activities such as our Breathe Better Choir, Sewing, Craft and Tai Chi and much more, as well as a schedule of seasonal activities and events. These included our Christmas Social Isolation campaign; supporting our community during the festive season including a home cooked Christmas Lunch on Christmas Day, a week of Easter activities, regular age friendly trips out, celebration of International Women’s Day and our annual Community fun day.
Minimising food poverty
Community Cafe
We take pride in being able to help families in need of our support. Our Community Café is open 5 days a week offering healthy, low cost, home cooked meals. Around 50% of our meals are free and the remaining 50% is subsidised costing no more than £3.00.
Foodbank
Our foodbank is open daily supporting families in crisis with access to short term emergency food parcels containing meals for up to three days.
Food Pantry
The aim of our Food Pantry is to directly support low income families who are experiencing hunger and food insecurity. This is a membership food club where members can access fresh produce, dairy and a wide range of ambient foods.
The difference between a food pantry and a foodbank - Both food pantries and food banks share the same commitment to provide food to those in need. A Food pantry is a membership club where members pay a minimal weekly fee that gives them access to food worth between £25-£40.
Foodbank
Referrals from frontline agencies
Short term emergency/crisis
Client cannot choose food
Food Pantry
Self-referral to Membership club
Membership Eligibility
Long term financial hardship
Client has choice/ selection
Membership Eligibility
Members must be unemployed or on low income
Members must live in M22 or M23 post codes
Members pay a small weekly subscription of between £3.00 to £4.00
Member can select 13-20 items from a wide selection of groceries which includes chilled, fresh, cereals and some(tinned) cupboard favourites.
Each member will be given a membership/client ID card which they must have with them each week. Membership will be reviewed quarterly.
The pantry is open Mondays to Friday between 11:00am- 1:00pm. Each member household can only use the Food Pantry once a week on their assigned Pantry day.
Work & Skills
We help to increase people’s employability prospects through our job club, training courses and Volunteering opportunities. Our volunteering programme increases people’s ability to participate in the wider community.
We help people get back into employment through CV writing, job search support, training, skills development, apprenticeships, and IT skills
We offer a range of volunteering opportunities at our centre, including administration, retail, catering, warehousing, fundraising, building and grounds maintenance.
Our Employability and Skills department has revamped its offer to include online platforms allowing us to reach more people than ever to help them back into work. Our new digital processes have boosted output with quicker and easier data collection and storage with our jobs and training mailing list receiving over 30 registrations in just over a week.
Our Digital Skills and Employability register - which users must complete before proceeding with their activities instantly generate a report allowing us to capture detailed insight into our services users - which in turn allows us to further tailor our services to their needs.
The system changes are important in setting the groundwork as we launch our formal Employability and Skills offer which will include our new apprenticeships scheme.