‘Every little helps’ as supermarket staff volunteer to move Age UK to its new home

A charity told to quit its social centre with its pensioners’ lunchtime meals-on-wheels service has found a new location which opens today with supermarket volunteers stepping in to lend a hand.

Age UK’s East London branch was given notice to leave its Appian Court centre in Bow last year because of housing redevelopment, which led to a protest to Tower Hamlets council.

But the branch has now secured agreement to use nearby Caxton Hall run by the Malmesbury community project in Caxton Grove.

“It’s been a difficult time for us,” Age UK East London’s Rahima Ali revealed.

“At times we’ve had concerns about whether we’d be able to find a suitable location.

“But this new building has helped us with a long-term future to provide much-needed support for older people.”

The move means the East End charity can continue its lunchtime meals-on-wheels, health and fitness classes, social activities and one-to-one advice service.

Staff from Bromley-by-Bow’s Tesco store are volunteering today to help transport furniture and equipment to the new centre. Activities planned on the first day include workshops on seeding and planting, arts, decoration and cake decorating, and a ‘seated’ disco.

Tesco’s Mundeep Kaur said: “It was a ‘no brainer’ to support them in their time of need—we’ve been long-term supporters of Age UK East London with our community food programme which will continue at their new centre.”

The supermarket provides food from its ‘community connection’ programme by alerting the charity when there is unsold produce at the end of each day.