After an amazing year of fundraising for local charity, PL84U AL SUFFA, 17 & Central has begun its search for a new charity partner.

The shopping centre is inviting nominations for its 2023 Charity of the Year. To qualify for selection, nominees must be a registered charity and based locally. Charities that are interested in applying should email [email protected] by 31 January, giving a few details about their organisation and explaining why they think it would be a good fit.

Last year, 17 & Central raised over £4,000 for PL84U AL SUFFA, a Walthamstow-based charity, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. As well as supporting families and local people with a wide range of community-focused services including a food bank, clothing bank, baby bank, furniture, household goods, hot meals, companionship and recreational facilities, it also provides sleeping bags, haircuts, clothes and warm kits for the area’s homeless.

The shopping centre announced its official partnership with the local organisation last year and has since undertaken a series of events to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity, including Eid, Halloween and Christmas activities. So far 17 & Central has raised £4,041.43, but hopes to add more to the pot through its crowdfunding page https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/pl84ual-suffa?utm_term=rGEWE4gQK.

Just before Christmas, 17 & Central offered the charity a void unit in the shopping centre so that it could raise additional funds by selling donated items. Representatives from the charity have been in the centre selling brand new and donated/pre-loved items to raise funds for much-needed essentials for vulnerable individuals and families in Waltham Forest. They will be in the centre until 31st Jan 2022.

It has also been supporting the charity’s central food bank through staff volunteering and encouraging guest donations at the mini food bank, which was installed outside Asda in April 2021.

“Although we’ll be selecting a new charity this year, we’ll still be continuing to support PL84U AL SUFFA,” said Gwendolyne Lobo, 17 & Central’s marketing manager. “We’re planning on installing a larger donations cupboard so that we can carry on giving food and other essentials to the charity and we’ll continue to raise awareness of its activities through our social channels.”