St. Mary’s supports the Purley Food Hub which was set up in January 2013 by the 12 churches of Purley & Kenley Churches Together.

Who Purley food hub help

Purley Food Hub provides free food parcels for individuals and families in our local postal districts ‐ CR2 (South Croydon), CR5 (Coulsdon), CR8 (Purley) and CR0 4 (Waddon).

If you live outside this area, other local food banks and providers offer similar help.

They help people in crisis who are without food. Clients may have become unemployed, suffering illness or had a sudden, unexpected change in their circumstances at home. They may have had their benefits stopped and are going through the appeal process. A series of events coming together may have left them unable to buy food for their basic needs.

How Purley food hub help

They provide a balanced diet of long life food for our clients to use to prepare meals at home.

They also seek to direct clients to agencies which can give them further practical help. 

Where does the food come from?

By generous donations from the local churches, schools, businesses, Rotary Clubs and Women’s Institutes and many individuals and families, and also from collections at supermarkets. Each month a food list is drawn up of the items most needed for clients.

How is the food given?

Food is given to clients who present a food ticket – it is not a drop-in. Clients bring the ticket to the food distribution centre at Purley United Reformed Church in central Purley, where they are made welcome and given food for 3 meals a day for 3 days for each member of their family.

How do clients get food tickets?

Purley food hub has more than 80 food ticket partners. These are agencies and professionals across the borough who work closely with people in crisis, and they refer clients to the hub by ticket. Partners include job centres, teams and departments of Croydon Council, hostels and refuges, children’s centres and schools, and a wide range of voluntary care organisations.