Freemasons open doors in Worthing to support food rescue charity UKHarvest
The Worthing Freemasons have teamed up with UKHarvest and West Sussex County Council to host a new Community Food Hub at the Charmandean Centre, tackling both food waste and food insecurity in the area.
The Community Food Hub launched on Thursday 21st August, transforming the Freemasons’ Charmandean Centre into a welcoming community space. Visitors were invited to enjoy a tea or coffee before collecting a wide variety of rescued food, sourced from supermarkets, farms, and businesses. Alongside food distribution, a range of support services were also available, including guidance from West Sussex Mind.
Nigel Boshein, UKHarvest’s Community Outreach and Engagement Manager, praised the success of the launch:
“The launch of the UKHarvest Community Food Hub at the Charmandean Centre has been a fantastic success, with an incredible response from the community, brilliant support from volunteers, and outstanding hospitality from the centre and its staff. We are really looking forward to next month, where the hub will become a regular monthly Multi Agency Support Hub involving up to 10 other wrap-around support services.”
The initiative is a collaboration between UKHarvest, West Sussex County Council, and the Sussex Freemasons. Simon Fyfe, Deputy Chairman of the West Group of Sussex Freemasons, highlighted the importance of working together:
“The collaboration between UKHarvest, West Sussex County Council, and the Freemasons of Sussex demonstrates the positive impact of working together to reduce food waste and provide support to those in need. Our Masonic centres should always be places where our communities feel welcome, supported, and cared for — a true reflection of Freemasonry in action.”
West Sussex County Council has partnered with UKHarvest as part of its commitment to reducing food waste and ensuring communities have access to affordable, rescued food.
The Worthing Community Food Hub will now run monthly for at least the next year, with upcoming dates confirmed as:
2025
• Thursday 18th September
• Thursday 16th October
• Thursday 20th November
• Thursday 18th December
2026
• Thursday 15th January
• Thursday 19th February
• Thursday 19th March
• Thursday 16th April
All Community Food Hubs from September onwards will include the attendance of multiple support agencies.The sessions will run from 10:00–11:00am at the Charmandean Centre, with a team of friendly volunteers on hand to help.
For more information, visit:
• Freemasonry in West Sussex: www.wgsm.co.uk
• West Sussex: www.westsussex.gov.uk/ukharvest
• UKHarvest: www.ukharvest.org.uk
• The Charmandean Centre: www.charmandeancentre.co.uk