Sufra NW London Impact Report 2023-24
January 29, 2025
You can download a designed PDF of our Impact Report here:
"Against a backdrop of rising poverty, inequality and homelessness in London, our community remains resilient and Sufra continues to grow. As always, we're committed to providing emergency relief and holistic support through the diverse services outlined in this report. By working with partners, our aim is to build a community where no one goes hungry, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Our collective efforts and innovative programmes have clearly made a significant impact this year, and the team is committed to ensuring that we will continue to do so in the years ahead. A huge thank you to our staff, volunteers and supporters for your unwavering dedication – none of this would be possible without you."
- Rajesh Makwana BEM, Executive Director
Food Bank
Sufra provides emergency aid, including food, toiletries, baby supplies and essentials, via three food bank sessions operating from two hubs. We also deliver NHS parcels, Fresh Meal Delivery Service meals, and homeless food drives in partnership with Who Is Hussain.
48,093 total food aid recipients
240,377 total equivalent meals distributed
13,769 unique food aid guests
204 referral agencies
Community Kitchens
Our Community Kitchens provide hot, nutritious meals and serve as social hubs, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
In partnership with Brent Council (CWP), Laurence’s Larder, Ark Elvin Academy, and Granville Community Kitchen, we offered five weekly kitchen sessions and two daytime cafe sessions, supporting those in need without requiring referrals.
23,063 two or three course community meals served
7 Community Kitchen and Café sessions operational across Brent
“It feels like a community here.” – CWP Member
Community Wellbeing Project (CWP)
The CWP is an innovative service offering early intervention and holistic support. For £4 weekly, members accessed a Community Shop, Café, Kitchen, advice services, workshops and social events to improve their quality of life.
We also produced the Beyond the Food Bank Toolkit, which offers guidance on replicating the model – the launch event was attended by over 50 organisations.
375 members supported in 1st year
3,480 visits to the café
405 interactions at Advice Drop-Ins and workshops
2,840 total grocery shops conducted
Case study: Shannon
When Shannon joined Sufra’s CWP, she was in heavily in debt and battling anxiety and depression after a family bereavement. She was struggling to find employment, skipping meals and losing hope.
Financial relief from the Community Shop helped Shannon manage her finances, and support from CWP advisors enabled her to focus on job applications. Our employment support enabled her to find a full-time job and start paying off her debts.
Shannon now feels much more secure and has reconnected with the community by attending evening sessions at the Community Kitchen.
Advice Service
The Advice Service provides extensive support to food bank guests, including welfare advice, financial guidance and assistance with benefits. This helps guests manage complex systems and enhance their financial stability. The advisors handle issues that cause food poverty such as homelessness, benefit interruptions, and financial crisis.
685 cases opened
490 individuals supported
£51,328 secured in additional income
£27,730 distributed via Emergency Aid Fund
OpenARMS Programme
Our Advice Team now OISC accredited, and provides welfare advice and community activities to refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants, including English lessons and coffee mornings.
75 asylum seekers, refugees and migrants supported
80% of coffee morning guests reported improvement to stress
8 asylum seekers gained Right to Remain status
“The advisors helped me; I have learnt a lot of things that I didn't know about before and support that I didn’t know existed. It is hard to know where to start on your own.” – Sufra guest
Emergency Support
Additional emergency support was provided through school uniform drives (in partnership with Hand on Heart), a Winter Warmer Coat Drive, Christmas Hamper distribution for food bank guests, and an annual community meal on Christmas Day, with Santa Claus and presents for children.
327 young people received school uniforms and backpacks
686 winter coats distributed
300 Christmas hampers for food bank guests
265 guests attended Sufra’s Christmas Day Dinner
St. Raphael’s Edible Garden
Our garden activities in St. Raphael’s Edible Garden not only grow fresh produce but also offer volunteering and accredited training opportunities. This initiative provides healthy food and offers therapeutic and educational benefits for our community.
786kg produce harvested in St. Raphael’s Edible Garden
£8,922 value of produce grown in St. Raphael’s Edible Garden
910kg CO2 sequestered by St. Raphael’s Edible Garden
Community Engagement
Our volunteers are essential to our operations, offering critical support across all our services. Many of our volunteers are former service users who have chosen to contribute back to the community. They possess multilingual capabilities, enabling us to effectively understand and address the needs of our guests.
245 active volunteers across all services
15,156 hours volunteered
You can also download a copy of our latest Annual Report and Accounts here:
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Latest News

CWS Open Day
In anticipation of the service launch, we hosted a Community Wellbeing Service (CWS) Open Day for all of our volunteers, partners and local organisations to learn more about the service.

Sufra NW London Impact Report 2023-24
Presenting Sufra's Impact Report 2023-24! As always, we're committed to providing emergency relief and holistic support through the diverse services outlined in this report.
