Community food clubs

What the community food club offers

Membership is available for one person per household, to visit once a week and is valid for three months.

Your membership will give you access to support from a wide range of services providing advice on finances, health, employment, training and skills.

Who is eligible and how to apply

You must be a resident of the borough, on a low income or having financial difficulties. Please bring proof of your address if you come to one of our drop in sessions for joining the community food club.

You will only be able to access one site at a time during your membership. You can also apply online by clicking the button below.

You can apply online to become a member of the Marks Gate or Thames Community food clubs by completing the application form.

Once you have completed and submitted the application form online, a member of our team will contact you and update you on the progress of your application.

Apply to Join the Community Food Club

The food clubs at Barking Learning Centre can be accessed by a referral from a professional supporting you e.g a family support worker/social worker/hubs officer

Criteria for families to gain access to the food clubs is:

no resource to public funds, awaiting benefits
fleeing domestic violence
rent/council arrears
for Dagenham Library a postcode including RM8, RM9, RM10
for Barking Learning Centre a postcode including IG11

Once a referral has been received families will be invited to start a 12 week membership, which can be reviewed at the end of the membership to see if there is a need for extension

Each family will receive a welcome letter which will outline the requirements of the membership such as engagement, attending other services to help circumstances and that they will be expected to attend every week. Failure to attend two consecutive weeks will mean the membership will be terminated and given to someone else. The letter will include a contact email that the families can advise of any non-attendance.

We need volunteers!

We need volunteers, to help us run the clubs including working in the shop, helping set up and carrying out administrative tasks and drivers to pick up deliveries from local supermarkets. Travel costs will be met. if you want to help others in the community in your spare time, learn new skills or gain great work experience for your CV, then volunteering may be just right for you

If you would like to volunteer please visit our volunteer page.