Reach Out to the Community - Our January Social Champions Donation
Reach Out to the Community - Our January Social Champions Donation
Lily Arkwright’s Social Champions campaign is guided by a simple but powerful question: where can our donation truly move the needle? In a world of national charities and large-scale campaigns, meaningful change often happens at a grassroots level, where people meet face-to-face every day and support is immediate and personal.
That’s why we’re proud to support Reach Out to the Community in Chorlton, Manchester, with a £500 Social Champions donation this January.
A Charity That Lives Its Values on the Street
Reach Out to the Community isn’t a distant organisation working behind closed doors. Based at their community hub and charity shop on Wilbraham Road, the team supports people experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping and food poverty across South Manchester through direct, hands-on care.
Their work is both practical and compassionate. On any given day, volunteers and staff may be:
• Running the charity shop and sorting donations, from clothing to household items, with every penny reinvested into frontline support
• Packing and distributing food parcels to individuals and families referred by partner organisations
• Providing immediate help, whether that’s a warm drink, clothing, assistance with forms or benefits, or support getting online for essential tasks
• Taking the time to listen and build trust with people who are often overlooked, offering dignity, reassurance and connection alongside practical help
More Than Just a Shop
The charity shop is the engine that fuels Reach Out to the Community’s grassroots mission. It’s a place where donations are redistributed directly to people who need them most, volunteers build relationships, and income is channelled straight back into local support services.
Beyond the shop, the outreach team regularly works across South Manchester, offering help in public spaces and meeting people where they are. By building trust over time, they are able to link individuals with longer-term support and services that can help stabilise their circumstances.
Why £500 Makes a Visible Difference
For a small, volunteer-led charity like Reach Out to the Community, every pound goes a long way. Our £500 donation will support their work over the coming weeks by helping to fund:
• Food parcels, clothing and essential items for local people facing crisis
• Outreach supplies such as hygiene packs and warm clothing
• Resources that help volunteers carry out day-to-day support more effectively
• Practical assistance for people navigating benefits, housing applications or healthcare
Because Reach Out to the Community operates at a grassroots level, this donation goes straight into action, supporting people who often have nowhere else to turn.
Putting Our Money Where It Matters Most
What inspires us most about Reach Out to the Community is not only what they do, but how they do it. Their work is rooted in dignity, respect and genuine human connection. Whether meeting someone on the street, in the charity shop or over a cup of tea at their hub, they treat everyone as a valued member of their community.
We’re proud to support their work through Social Champions and hope this donation helps them continue turning compassion into real-world impact across South Manchester.