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The Core Project is a non-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) which was set up to help the local community fight food hunger. Today the volunteers have set up a free food hub at Miriam Medical Centre in partnership with Knights Pharmacy, The Cavendish Centre, FareShare Merseyside as well as the Miriam Medical Centre.
birkenhead.news spoke to Dee Frazer to give us a bit of background on what the Core Project is all about. Dee told us, “We feed local children every time the kids are off school, we provide them with hot lunches, and activities and take-out bags for their tea.
“We also provide the local community with hot meals and we hold coffee mornings for mental health and organise activities for people that are struggling to get out. Additionally, we provide all the local hostels with food for hundreds of vulnerable young adults.”
Today, Dee and half-a-dozen or so volunteers are handing out food hampers, including everything from tins of ham, fresh tomatoes to baked beans and breakfast cereal. Dee told us that this is the third time they have provided food hampers to the local community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each time previously, they have distributed three vans full of food and have been left with nothing at the end.
Dee told us that they have some festive events lined up for local children, “This Thursday [17 December], we have Santa delivering 700 presents and selection boxes to local children. We’ll be taking Santa around to see all the local kids, because grottoes aren’t open. We’ve partnered with Magenta Living & Merseyside Police in order to make this happen.
“On Christmas Eve, we’ll be in the community centre on Clover Drive and we’ll be handing out 340 full Christmas meal hampers, Turkey with all the trimmings, deserts, everything! We’re also providing 240 meal hampers for children who are on free school meals, but during the two week Christmas holiday will not be getting those meals.”
Dee said that the food that is being distributed today has been donated by various local supermarkets, including Tesco, Aldi & M&S, FareShare Merseyside and from the Miriam Medical Centre. The volunteers will be handing out the food hampers outside the Miriam Medical Centre today (Monday, 14 December) from midday until 2pm.