Sufra NW London

Who we are

Sufra NW London is a vibrant Community Food and Support Hub based in the London Borough of Brent, run by a team of dedicated staff who work hard, have fun and love what they do. We are a well-established and widely recognised local charity providing a lifeline to people in crisis – including families living in extreme poverty and people who are vulnerable, homeless or socially isolated. We give our ‘guests’ the food and support they need to survive, empower them to learn new skills and improve their wellbeing, and help them to find work and become financially stable.

Sufra’s core work focuses on addressing the causes and consequences of hunger and poverty. We providing emergency food aid through our network of Food Banks and Community Kitchens, as well as our Community Shop and Cafe. But these are gateway services that enable our service guests to access a wider range of services and activities designed to address the root causes of poverty and homelessness. Our services include:

• Food Bank and Community Shop: Last year, we provided emergency food aid to over 4,000 people who cannot afford the basic cost of living. 
• Community Kitchen and Cafe: We serve a freshly cooked three-course vegetarian meals at different venues across Brent. 
• Welfare Advice Service: Our Advice Team helps people address the underlying problems that led them to our Food Bank – such as benefit disruptions, housing problems and other financial difficulties.
• Refugee Support: Our Refugee Resettlement Programme helps newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers access the housing, healthcare, training and jobs they need to build a new life in the community.
• St. Raphael’s Edible Garden: We’ve worked with local residents to turn an abandoned space on the estate into a Community Garden, where we offer horticulture courses and volunteering opportunities for local residents and people with additional mental/physical health needs. The space includes a teaching tipi, a wildlife pond, a chicken coop, and raised beds for growing vegetables and fruit.

Each of these services is designed to lead vulnerable people on a personal journey from crisis to economic stability, social inclusion and active participation in the community. We rely heavily on our dedicated volunteers to ensure that we can deliver our services, and we work closely with local churches, mosques, schools and voluntary sector organisation for wide range of support.