New developments at Rochdale Community Warehouse

Warehouse coordinator, Irene Wilcox

A group of volunteers has been getting ready to take on responsibility for the long-term running of Rochdale’s Community Warehouse as a Community Interest Company (CIC).

Established by local charity Action Together during the pandemic, the community warehouse has remained busy providing much-needed food, toiletries, and clothes to voluntary organisations to distribute to people in the community.

The warehouse was set up quickly in response to the pandemic to support the work of the many small foodbanks and food clubs in the borough. However, it was always intended to become a permanent resource for the voluntary and community sector, hence the need for a permanent group to take ownership and establish it as a separate organisation.

The community warehouse currently has 117 members who receive regular updates about available stock. It provides support to between 10 and 16 groups each week, distributing donated items to people who need them.

Given the current cost of living crisis, and the recent arrival of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine, the role of the community warehouse remains as critical to local organisations as ever.

In order to form a CIC, Action Together asked for volunteers from the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector and public sector to form a steering group to consider the options.

A group of five volunteers with experience of working in the voluntary, public, and private sector in Rochdale was formed.

With support from Action Together, the group considered the different legal structures available to charitable organisations and decided that a CIC would be most effective. They will continue to receive support from Action Together.

While work to establish the CIC was underway, Action Together secured funding to employ a warehouse coordinator. Irene Wilcox, a former Army midwife, is bringing both her clinical expertise and that of supporting patient groups to this new role.

Irene said: “I'm very excited to take up my new role as community warehouse coordinator and endeavour to continue to develop and evolve it as needs arise to maintain the excellent service it already provides to our community.”

If you’d like to find out more about the work of the community warehouse then please contact Irene on irene.wilcox@actiontogether.org.uk or 0161 339 2345 ext 4108.

Action Together can support voluntary organisations and charities in setting up, developing policies and legal structures, finding funding, and recruiting volunteers.

Visit www.actiontogether.org.uk or contact info@actiontogether.org.uk or 0161 339 2345.