Mustard Tree

Support your local #reuse charity and make secondhand your first choice on #BuyNothingNewDay. Find out more and get involved: https://lnkd.in/ecneCs9m

Join us at our Little Hulton hub for our second 'Whose Art, Whose Culture?' exhibition! Featuring work from local Salford residents. #WhoseArtWhoseCulture #MustardTree Salford CVS

"The Welfare of the People is the Highest Law" Mustard Tree Round-up 01.11.24 🎨 Whose Art, Whose Culture Salford CVS 💼 #Budget24 response 🏠 Why we are part of the 'Social Homes for Manchester' coalition 🎁 Christmas Drive ✊ Join our movement https://lnkd.in/ev8hRH39 #MustardTree

Do you know someone who is looking and work and just needs an opportunity? Our Freedom Project provides real working environments to help trainees build confidence, gain new skills and find employment. Get in touch to find out about of next Freedom Project open day. Photo: Equator Design https://lnkd.in/eu43qiNM

Mustard Tree’s 30th Anniversary Dinner! On Thursday October 10th, World Homelessness and World Mental Health Day, Mustard Tree celebrated 30 years of combating poverty and preventing homelessness across Greater Manchester, hosting a dinner for our community in our Ancoats Hub. And there is a lot to celebrate: Our brilliant community of Clients, Trainees, Partners, Donors, and Volunteers. Our people’s successes, their talents, resilience, their joy, and strengths, Our supporters, their willingness, their engagement and providing our people with a platform. And, personally, how excellent, responsive, compassionate and passionate the MT Staff Team is (Ellie, Elizabeth, David) how well the night went, and how much we raised. But existing for 30 years as an anti-poverty charity requires reflection: on the state of the sector (3rd, public, and private) on demand, on need, on sustainability. How we react to changing needs, launching new services, empowering our community, building partnerships and creating lasting positive impact. In September, we had a footfall of 11,084 people and registered 502 new Clients. A grim record. When we have October data, it will tell a similar story. Winter is our busiest time. 30 years, and demand is higher than ever. But this means more people are getting help - more Freedom Trainees, more successes, more joy, more people building into meaningful employment. So, what’s next? Well, we’ll stay an open-door, anti-poverty, charity. A warm safe space for connectivity, dignity, support and training. We will continue to strive to help everyone who walks through our doors, calls us up, emails, anyone who needs us. We shouldn’t have to exist in the form that we do, but whilst the need is still there, (and growing) Mustard Tree are still here to help people build themselves up. All thanks to you. Your time, donations, volunteering, fundraising(!) and advocacy. So, thank you to everyone who attended our dinner, who donated, and thank you to everyone who has supported our charity, community and people. Next up, Winter…

We have a few spaces remaining for a brand Upcycling workshop taking place at our Eccles and Ancoats hubs. Ran by our partners Groundwork Greater Manchester - you can find out more and sign-up by emailing rag.revival@groundwork.org.uk. Information and dates: https://lnkd.in/dNCk8KxT

Last Thursday we celebrated Mustard Tree’s 30th anniversary. In true Mustard Tree fashion, it was a day of slight chaos – our annual Fundraising Dinner and a state visit, alongside the support and training we offer each day. Personally, Thursday morning was underpinned with equal parts anxiety and excitement, knowing that we would receive the decision as to our application to The National Lottery Community Fund, for a five-year grant that could be truly transformational for our community. I feel incredibly lucky to have been trusted to work on this project, even prouder to share that we were awarded the funding. We are immensely grateful to The National Lottery for their belief and support in the work we do. The Dinner brought the same sense of gratitude for those who support our community here at Mustard Tree and the services we provide; there was an incredible sense of understanding in the room – celebration of our 30 years of combatting poverty and preventing homelessness, and recognition that our mission is as relevant today as it was in 1994. We are facing a decimated third sector and record levels of inequity in the UK; meanwhile global conflict and the systems that uphold it often feel insurmountable. It would make sense if there was an atmosphere of sadness, of seriousness, of anger permeating our work – and whilst there are times when these feelings are necessary and honest – Mustard Tree is overwhelmingly a place of care, love in action, and community. Each day I am reminded of the different shapes that courage takes – from people accessing support, class attendees, colleagues – and the incredible power of community. I still feel it’s impossible to do Mustard Tree justice on the page, though I’ve been giving it my best shot for over a year now. Maybe I’ll be a bit more concise when I celebrate year 2...

Can you help us combat food poverty this Christmas by donating gifts for our Food Clubs and Community Shops? What do we need? Selection Boxes Festive treats Chocolate Santas Christmas biscuits Stocking fillers Other non-perishable Food Club items Please drop-off your donations to any of our hubs during opening times. For larger collections, please email information@mustardtree.org.uk Items can be purchased online and delivered directly to us through our Give Today page. More information: https://lnkd.in/eq4abmv7

Great to see donated furniture items from our Community Shop on the #GMLiveWell stage yesterday - thanks for the opportunity!

The final phase of the Our Manchester strategy is closing soon, and we need your voice to finalise our ambitions for the next years for our people, our neighbourhoods and our city. Whether it’s about local communities, the environment or opportunities for all, share your thoughts on what our priorities should be for Manchester’s future: Our Manchester 2025–2035 survey: https://lnkd.in/eckpvKs4 The city’s future, shaped by everyone | Manchester City Council