Supporting People in Lewisham

Lewisham Donation Hub provides food, homeware and essential items to local people including residents at Lewisham Park Towers where Axis is currently working.

Axis staff member, Jill Pennell, put the charity forward for the donation and said: “I’ve been supporting the Hub for the last couple of years – taking clothes, footwear, bedding etc on their Sunday donation day (1-4pm by Lewisham Fire Station). Knowing my unwanted items are going to those who have nothing – or very little – not only makes me feel good but is an incentive to get rid of things that I don’t wear or use any more. They’re always short of everything as the demand is so high – my friends are used to me hassling them to have a clear out for things I can take there!”

The Axis Foundation Trustees were delighted to support Jill’s application in an area of London where we are highly visible and our donation will make a real impact: our £3,000 will purchase electrical equipment for the charity to distribute.

“Lewisham Donation Hub is so grateful for the £3,000 grant from the Axis Foundation! We believe we can reduce household costs by providing low-power / efficient electricals (particularly microwaves, rice cookers, slow cookers, kettles and blenders) to people suffering hardship. These items help families and individuals to live more comfortably at home, and avoid relying upon ad-hoc meals from community services (or spending limited money on ready-to-eat foods)” -–  Magdalena Szlenkier, Trustee and Volunteer, Lewisham Donation Hub

And there’s more

We extended our support with a further donation to purchase 9 microwaves. The hub often discovers people not being able to cook chilled or frozen food, as they have no facilities to cook them.

“A BIG thank you to the entire Axis team for enabling us to purchase the microwaves. The last support instance today was for a woman without resource to public funds that the mental health team at Lewisham Hospital were endeavouring to assist. Your funding means that tonight, for the first time in many months, she can eat warm food at home. More importantly (as the mental health team highlighted), little gestures like this often have outsized impacts on those suffering mental health crises.”

We additionally delivered 11 laptops to the hub –  old Axis IT equipment that will be repaired and donated to residents in need of a device. And during Recycling Week 2024 we organised an e-waste drive to further support the hub.

There’s more about their work here