17&Central has chosen local organisation, PL84U AL SUFFA as its Charity of the Year for 2022-3.

PL84U AL SUFFA, which was conceived in 2013 and received charity status in 2016, supports families and local people of all ages with an extensive range of 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 homeless.

Since Covid hit, the number of people accessing the food bank has increased and continues to rise on a daily basis. Through its scheme PL84U AL SUFFA offers fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy products.

The shopping centre has worked with the Waltham Forest-based organisation for over a year, establishing a mini food bank outside its Asda store and supporting the charity with donations from its recent Eid event, but wanted to put the partnership on a more official footing, as Marketing Manager Gwendolyne Lobo, explains: “We sat down as a team to discuss how we could best support the Walthamstow community and scope out the areas where we felt we could make a difference. We all agreed that rising inflation, high energy bills and the noticeable increase in homelessness and food poverty are huge issues for our community at the moment, and we were inspired by the charity’s work during the pandemic to do more to help.

“By partnering with this amazing charity, we are hoping to contribute positively towards these causes and assist PL84U AL SUFFA in its quest to help families dealing with food poverty and struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.”

This year, with 17&Central’s support, the charity is looking to establish a long-term base for its operations: “We need a fixed venue with a minimum of 10 years’ lease so that we are able to support and operate our charity to its full potential and have room for growth,” says founder and executive director, Saira Begum Mir BEM, BCAc.

The charity is also in desperate need of a hybrid van.

“We are hoping that our newly formed partnership will help us to support the needs of the community to the fullest, expand our networks and focus on the many humanitarian causes that we are currently dealing with. At the same time, we would also like to be kind to the environment and are passionate about recycling and saving resources from landfill. However we proceed from now, we are determined not to harm our ecosystem.”

Saira added: “We look forward to our partnership with 17&Central as we both share the same ethos about working together for the community and its needs, serving humanity one plate at a time.”

Throughout the year 17&Central plans to host a series of fundraising events for PL84U AL SUFFA including summer, Christmas and Halloween activities.