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Maya’s Community CIC
Maya started collecting donated clothes items at her community support centre to assist the families settling from the Ukraine. This has spread to an entire shop of clothes, toys, bedding, blankets, beds, tents and bric a brac all donated and available for free. The free shop helps 100s of people everyday and has become very popular with people travelling from all over Kent just to see what she has created.
The concept of a free shop is unique and popular, especially given the cost of living crisis. It reduces waste and brings the community together to support one another. It has captured the attention of national news outlets who have run several stories on the shop. Kent County Council social services regularly refer families who have escaped domestic violence to the free shop where they can be kitted out with everything they need to start again. All for free.
The free shop also offers free hairdressing and shaves for homeless people, low income families and elderly people on a weekly basis. Maya is working on grants to expand the services to include shower and clothes washing facilities for the homeless at the free shop.
The food bank operated from the community support centre (20 High Street, Herne Bay)
Works on a no registration basis. Maya runs a no judgement policy to ensure that those who are perhaps embarrassed or too shy to ask for help are not put off or turned away. Her community support centre supports hundreds of young families, single parents, elderly and anyone who has fallen on hard times affected by the cost of living crisis.
The food bank is stocked with food items donated from local businesses, waste food from a number of local supermarkets and topped up with items purchased from Maya’s Community Interest Company (which is funded by donations and grants).
As well as the free shop and food bank Maya’s Community CIC has opened a furniture bank / electrical bank (all PAT tested) / Baby bank and mobility bank whereby people clearing out larger items of furniture can donate them to us and we can distribute them to those in need for free.
Areas: Herne Bay
Languages: Russian, Turkish
Last Updated: 11th October, 2023
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