The future of one of the community hubs operated by Epping Forest’s largest food agency has been secured after it signed a long-term lease on the premises.

3Food4U has put pen to paper on a ten-year lease at the hub it runs in Waltham Abbey and has vowed to continue to support all the communities it serves for “as long as we are needed”.

Chair of trustees Pesh Kapasiawala said: “We often get asked how long we'll be delivering our vital service, most people expected us to stop after we came out of lockdown and have been stressed with worried about how they will cope without us.

“We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes for our community and can finally announce that we have secured a ten-year lease at our Community Hub in Waltham Abbey. We will be here for the community for as long as we are needed.”

Waltham Abbey volunteer Nicola Liddard said: “Some of the food and other items are donated by the public but the majority is very good quality surplus food from big businesses such as Amazon Fresh, that would have been thrown away and sent to landfill.

“It is such a waste, and while there are families who need a bit of help then this volunteer-led service and others like it have a place in our community."

The charity has thanked Waltham Abbey Town Council, Essex County Council, Essex Association of Local Councils, Loughton Town Council, Ongar Town Council and The National Lottery Community Fund for their support.

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3Food4U has also announced the Easter Bunny will be giving out free Easter Eggs to children at all its hubs during week April 11, donated by the Naha family - Rina, Sanj, Neo and Rico.

The charity has a fundraising page at https://www.stewardship.org.uk/pages/3food4u

The charity’s community surplus hubs are open as follows:

  • Monday: Waltham Abbey – 13, Sun Street - 11.30am to 1pm
  • Tuesday: Loughton – Loughton Club, 8, Station Road - 11.30am to 1pm
  • Wednesday: Chigwell Row – All Saints Church Hall, Romford Road - 5pm to 6.30pm
  • Thursday: Ongar – Zinc Arts Centre, High Street - 1pm to 2.30pm
  • Friday: Waltham Abbey – 13, Sun Street - 11.30am to 1pm

For further details, visit www.3food4u.org, email info.3food4u@gmail.com or call 01992 842642.