The Good Guide - December Edition

Welcome to The Good Guide - your monthly dose of feel-good ways to get involved, give back, and support the people who need it most.

This month is all about warm meals, full tables, and making sure no one is forgotten. Across the UK, incredible organisations are working hard to support families through the festive season - providing food, dignity, community, and hope.

Here are some brilliant places where you can volunteer, donate, or simply learn more about the work happening in your area this December:

The Trussell Trust - Food Banks Across the UK

📍 Nationwide
 🔗 https://www.trussell.org.uk/

The Trussell Trust supports a network of more than 1,300 food banks across the UK. Throughout winter, they run a major festive appeal to support families under the most pressure - providing emergency food parcels, warm essentials, and compassionate support when it’s needed most.

Whether you can spare a few tins, volunteer a shift, or spread the word, every action helps.

The Felix Project – Rescuing Food, Feeding London

📍 London
 🔗 https://thefelixproject.org/

The Felix Project rescues surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to schools, shelters, food banks, and community kitchens.

They’re a lifeline for thousands of Londoners - especially during December, when demand rises sharply. Volunteers help sort food, deliver meals, or support community kitchens across the capital.

Nourish Hub (by UK Harvest) – More Than a Meal: Community, Skills & Support

📍 West London
 🔗 https://www.nourishhub.org.uk/

A vibrant, modern community kitchen where people cook, learn, eat and connect - all powered by surplus food.

Nourish Hub offers:

• Free or low-cost community meals
• Cooking and budgeting classes
• Wellbeing workshops
• A warm, inclusive space for people to meet, learn new skills, and feel supported
  It’s more than food - it’s connection, dignity, and community under one roof.

Here is a list of food banks and food redistribution centres around the UK.

Looking for ways to get involved this Christmas?
Here are some of the biggest food-focused organisations across the UK that need extra hands this month.

📍London & Greater London

• Don’s Local Action Group – Food stalls, deliveries & community support hubs.
   🔗 https://donslocalaction.org//volunteer
• The Felix Project – Rescue surplus food & deliver it across the capital.
   🔗 https://thefelixproject.org/help-us/volunteer-london
• Trussell Trust Foodbanks (London) – Sort donations, pack parcels, greet visitors.
   🔗 trusselltrust.org/get-involved/volunteer
• Nourish Hub (UKHarvest) – Community meals, food education & festive kitchen shifts.
   🔗 nourishhub.org.uk/get-involved
• FoodCycle London – Cook & serve three-course surplus-food meals.
   🔗 https://foodcycle.org.uk/
• City Harvest London – Volunteer in Acton or New Covent Garden Market
   🔗 cityharvest.org.uk/volunteer
• The Passage (Westminster) – Christmas meal services for people experiencing homelessness.
   🔗 passage.org.uk/support-us/volunteer
• Friends of the Elderly – London Christmas Lunches – Help serve festive meals for older people.
   🔗 https://fote.org.uk/

📍Birmingham / Midlands

• Birmingham Settlement – Community meals & food support hubs.
   🔗 birminghamsettlement.org.uk
• The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) – Community cafés & food hubs.
   🔗 theaws.co.uk/get-involved
• SIFA Fireside – Daily breakfast & lunch kitchen for vulnerable adults.
   🔗 sifafireside.co.uk/volunteer
• FoodCycle Birmingham – Community meals in Ladywood, Longbridge & more.
   🔗 https://foodcycle.org.uk/
• Birmingham Central Foodbank (Trussell Trust) – One of the largest in the region.
   🔗 trusselltrust.org/get-involved/volunteer
• The Big Feed Project – Community kitchen serving warm meals & winter support.
   (Runs via local groups/Facebook)

📍 Leeds / Yorkshire

• Leeds Foodbanks (Trussell Trust) – Food parcels & distribution.
   🔗 trusselltrust.org/get-involved/volunteer
• St George’s Crypt – Kitchen support & homelessness services.
   🔗 stgeorgescrypt.org.uk
• FoodCycle Leeds – Surplus-food dinners across the city.
   🔗 https://foodcycle.org.uk/
• Homeless Street Angels – Outreach meals & festive food hampers.
   🔗 https://homelessstreetangels.co.uk/
• Zest Leeds – Healthy-food programmes & holiday meal support.
   🔗 zestleeds.org.uk
• Leeds North & West Foodbank (Trussell Trust) – High-demand December operations.
   🔗 trusselltrust.org/get-involved/volunteer
• Caring for Life – Meal provision & food parcels for vulnerable adults.
   🔗 https://www.caringforlife.co.uk/

📍Edinburgh / Scotland

• Edinburgh Food Project – City-wide foodbank distribution.
   🔗 edinburghfoodproject.org
• Social Bite – Community dining & homelessness meals.
   🔗 social-bite.co.uk
• Cyrenians FareShare Depot – Large-scale food redistribution.
   🔗 cyrenians.scot/support-us/volunteer
• Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts – Meal prep & delivery for anyone in need.
   🔗 emptykitchens.co.uk/volunteer
• Bethany Christian Trust – Winter Care Shelter – Evening meal services.
   🔗 bethanychristiantrust.com/volunteer
• Edinburgh Community Food – Healthy food access & community meals.
   🔗 edinburghcommunityfood.org.uk/volunteer
• The Salvation Army Edinburgh – Christmas food parcels & community lunches.
   🔗 salvationarmy.org.uk/volunteer

📍Cardiff / South Wales

• FareShare Cymru – Surplus food redistribution.
   🔗 fareshare.cymru
• Cardiff Foodbanks (Trussell Trust) – Food parcel support.
   🔗 trusselltrust.org/get-involved/volunteer
• FoodCycle Cardiff – Community meals made from surplus food.
   🔗 https://foodcycle.org.uk/
• The Huggard Centre – Homelessness kitchen (breakfast, lunch & warm meals).
   🔗 https://www.huggard.org.uk/
• Oasis Cardiff – Refugee community kitchen.
   🔗 https://www.oasiscardiff.org/
• The Wallich – Winter Food Support
   🔗 thewallich.com/volunteer
• Splott Community Kitchen – Free community meals & Christmas support.
   🔗 facebook.com/SplottCommunityVolunteers 

📍Coastal & National

• FoodCycle (National) – Over 70 community dining projects UK-wide.
   🔗 foodcycle.org.uk
• FareShare UK – The UK’s biggest surplus-food redistribution network.
   🔗 fareshare.org.uk/volunteer
• The Salvation Army (UK-Wide) – Christmas lunches & festive food parcels.
   🔗 salvationarmy.org.uk/volunteer
• Trussell Trust Foodbanks (UK-Wide) – Nearly 1,400 foodbanks needing volunteers.
   🔗 trusselltrust.org/get-involved/volunteer

Check out next month’s Good Guide for more positive news, good-news stories, and feel-good ways to give back and stay connected to your community.