School of Business
New Parks Community Mission Foodbank
Established: 2019
Legal structure: Charity Incorporated Organisation
Who we are
Established in December 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Parks Community Mission Foodbank and Support Services has grown into a registered charity, powered entirely by dedicated volunteers. The charity is self-sufficient, resilient, and committed to tackling food insecurity while promoting holistic wellness throughout our community.
The challenge
When New Parks Community Mission Foodbank began operating, it faced significant limitations in capacity, structure, and sustainability. The organisation was a) Operating informally from a trustee’s home; b) Using a mobile unit and distributed storage across volunteers’ properties; and c) Working with minimal funding and increasing demand.
What was required
As a newly established charity, they needed to transition from a reactive, volunteer-led operation into a structured, sustainable organisation with clear governance, strategy, and growth plans.
- Develop a clear strategic plan for growth governance structures and ensure Charity Commission compliance
- Improve their ability to measure and evidence impact
- Explore long-term solutions for premises and capacity, including community asset transfer
- Balance day-to-day service delivery with building the foundations
- Build for a sustainable future.
Growth acceleration through
Strategic planning: Supporting trustees to develop a structured plan aligned with their vision, including clear objectives and long-term goals.
Governance and compliance support: Providing guidance on Charity Commission requirements, policies, and governance structures to ensure best practice.
Business planning: Supporting the development of a Social Hackathon brief to explore sustainable models, including access to a permanent community space.
Action planning: Helping the organisation balance immediate service delivery with long-term development, including capacity building and impact tracking. Organisational productivity and structure. Adoption of new processes and strategic planning tools. Stronger ability to evidence impact to funders and stakeholders Increased readiness to secure funding and partnerships. Clear pathway toward expanding capacity and securing premises.
Impact measurement guidance: Improved organisational productivity and structure Adoption of new processes and strategic planning tools. Stronger ability to evidence impact to funders and stakeholders Increased readiness to secure funding and partnerships Clear pathway toward expanding capacity and securing premises.
New Parks Community Mission Foodbank was also the beneficiary of a Social Hackathon day focusing on business planning, as part of the Growth Accelerator programme following a successful application brief.
“My own leadership has undergone a profound transformation. I have moved from simply reacting to daily crises to stepping back and steering our passion with true purpose. Thanks to the social enterprise, masterclasses and the insightful podcasts, the knowledge I have gained has not stayed with me alone, it has been shared throughout our entire team. This ensures that every volunteer is empowered and equipped with the practical tools and resources we now use in our daily practice.
One of the most significant highlights of this journey was our social hackathon. Seeing teachers, charity partners, business leaders, and trustees all collaborating with us was a moment of pure unity and clarity. It resulted in a robust three-year strategy that will take us from 2026 through to 2029. We are no longer merely "plodding along", we are a team with a clear direction and a data driven outlook, ready for whatever the future holds.” Donna Elliott, Trustee, New Parks Community Mission Foodbank
