Our Impact

Our Impact

In education

Unemployed

Other employment

Supported work placements: 9

NEET: 1

International student: 1

Health issues: 17

Changed job for BitC: 3

Home Office restrictions: 1

BitC as a second job: 1

Since we started recording data in August 2017, here is the overview of the team.
We have had 171 (and still counting) people volunteering and they have had various pathways before / alongside their BITC journey.

Of those 76 whom were unemployed (long term and short term) – 68 found employment.

Collectively – the value of either becoming employed or volunteering according to HACT social value calculator, the 171 people have ‘earnt’ £907,995.00.

Based on National Living Wage 2019 and time, our volunteers have donated in saved wages from August 2019 – July 2020 a value based on a wage of £87,873.62 and this equates to 10077.25 hours and mins.

128 of the team have what would be termed as a barrier.

Our social impact reports

For a more detailed look at the effect we’re having, read our Social Impact Reports.

It helps my mom when she can't get up and do dinner when she is in pain the meals makes it easier for her. And for my Dad it means he doesn't need to go shopping for much stuff. And for me it means I can stay in contact with my friends when I am feeling lonely.

As someone who does 14hour shifts (as a nurse) having the meals and extra food makes life so much easier. It means I can eat even when I don't get a break. Coming home and having something in the cupboard like cereal has been helpful, when I finish a shift or on a day off when I'm too tired to go out having that there helps so much. Not having to spend all my days off going to the shop or cooking have had a massive impact on my life and has really helped me both physically and mentally x

It keeps me grounded. It shows me somebody cares and would miss me if I wasn’t here. It’s a constant reminder and helps me recentre myself if I get off track. And it helps that these parcels are things I wouldn’t normally get to try. It’s like someone saying “here try this. What did you think? Maybe you could try these flavours out at home?”. It helps keep me sane lol.

Just want to say thanks so much for the food parcels over the past few weeks. Knowing that I have food there every day (And good at that) has helped soo much. I know I can get up in the morning and have some breakfast and I will have a diner at night. All the extra little treats that come in the packages are just so great. Everything from tinned soups to bottles of Lucozade. Knowing that I will not go hungry makes the passing days so much easier. It makes wanting to get out of bed so much easier. Handling lockdown for me has not been as bad for some who have large families or struggle with the isolation, but I have to believe that this is because the worry of dinner has been mostly taken care of by the efforts of everyone who helps out with the food packages. I had a chance to help out yesterday and I couldn't believe even with all the effort and organisation that goes into making this all happen, the fun, smiles and laughter that you all pour into the work. It really is heart-warming. As you know a friend of mine, Martin received his first package yesterday and when I spoke with him today, he was blown away with not only the volume of food but the sheer quality. Please accept my most heartfelt and sincere appreciation and thank you for all you and the team do for those who need it.

The food package has helped immensely during the lockdown and has ensured that I don't have to worry about running out of food or not been able to get enough when supermarkets have been overwhelmed! It also takes the pressure off where bills are concerned as I never have to worry that I don't have enough to pay a particular bill! The meals are nutritious and delicious and easy to heat up! Also as I happen to live above the cafe, picking my food package up gives me a chance to get of the house and socialise a little!

The food parcel has enabled us to spend quality time as a family during the lockdown without having to worry about food and financial pressures

As an independent 76-year-old, living alone I was completely overwhelmed when I fell ill with COVID-19. I have been very unwell for over 12 weeks making it difficult to obtain food. My Daughter works for the NHS & could not safely visit me and my Son is a single parent with a child at home. I am not on the shielded list so could not obtain priority food deliveries. My neighbours were amazing, but they were suffering too. I was extremely humbled by Hayley’s offer of food parcels and then the amazing individual, home cooked meals, delivered to my door. It was, as a Christian, an absolute God send. I have been humbled and so very grateful for the help Hayley has been able to offer. A lot of older people like me, vulnerable, alone and very anxious during this pandemic would have found lockdown unbearable without the kindness, generosity and love of Hayley and her team.” I send my extremely grateful thanks and blessings. CF

The food parcel is of good quality... It helps them save money towards deposit for a flat/independent living when they are ready to move out from the dry house and are very grateful 🙏" And as it's for me; it give me a sense of security/finance,... And at ease/safe and won't have to worry about food... Finally, we are So grateful to be part of the community and we are not alone...

I cannot tell you enough how grateful I am for the meals you have been providing during lock down. I have been poorly during the last weeks and your precooked meals have been a lifeline for me. Thank you so much for making such a difference to my life during this troubled time.

Receiving food parcels have been such a reassuring factor. As I have been working full time in Southampton hospital it was very difficult to queue up for groceries before shift, or on my day off fit everything in that I need to. It has may my life so much easier and reassuring. As I work lots of nights it is such a nice feeling knowing i could wake up and not stress out about having to meal prep or cook. It has saved a lot of time and money and has been such a huge help. Thank you so much for offering reassurance in a difficult time.

Food Delivery Programme

During lockdown, 3 food projects emerged at BitC, one run by BitC, plus 2 start-up food projects using surplus food saving it going to landfill.

BitC made and delivered 3959 homecooked meals across Southampton and Hampshire, and operated as a collection and delivery point for a food bank, which served people throughout the county, including NHS staff.

Off the back of the work around food poverty, came the establishment of 2 new food projects:
Easy Tz Meals and Southampton Social Aid Group.
Easy Tz Meals is the brain child of our daughter, Tia.

Here is her thoughts on her new chapter: ‘By August it was time to officially turn our project over to me and begin Easy Tz Meals, and by October I had quit my job to run full speed ahead into this exciting, yet terrifying venture.
One of the main things I wanted to keep as a central part of this was to use surplus food (food destined for landfill) to ensure we save food waste, feeding bellies not bins.

This is why we use Fareshare, along with working alongside other businesses who collect surplus food, to bring me the ingredients to make our homecooked meals.
We also like to reach a variety of people, so we cater to three categories of meals as standard, these are more ‘normal’ diets, vegan diets, and low carb/keto diets, whilst also catering to other allergies and dietaries when they pop up!
Alongside making our meals, we have also donated food provisions to Wessex Heartbeat, local schools, feeding kids through the winter half terms, YMCA centers, frontline workers and families.

I am also currently (Jan 2021) working with a Winter Shelter programme making dinners every day for a homeless shelter for the next 6-8 weeks, and this is all using surplus food!’

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