Our First Decade: A Heartfelt Look Back at 10 Years of Doorways Derby.
Wow, ten years. It feels both like yesterday and a lifetime ago when we, initially a small community group, first started Doorways Derby. We vividly remember our very first day setting up our small food kitchen at Derby Market Place – that was on Tuesday, May 12th, 2015. Even in those early days as a community group, our simple goal was to be a doorway – a point of access to support vulnerable adults facing homelessness and hardship in Derby.
Looking back to that first day in 2015, our first Tuesday evening serving connected us with around 15 to 20 visitors at the Market Place. The stories we heard drove our conviction to build something more permanent. In 2016, we relocated our street kitchen to the Bonnie Prince Statue on Full Street in Derby to better serve the growing need each week.
Over the past decade, Doorways Derby has grown significantly. At our Tuesday evening street kitchen at the Bonnie Prince Statue, we now regularly provide food, conversation, and essential items like tents and warm clothing to over 100 service users.
This incredible journey has been possible thanks to our dedicated volunteers and the humbling generosity of the Derby community, including many local businesses and schools. Their contributions have been crucial in sustaining our support. We are also proud to support young people in our community by offering volunteering placements for those participating in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, providing them with valuable opportunities to contribute and gain experience in our work.
Since the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, we recognized a growing need within the wider local community. In response, we initially started by providing food parcels, and this service has since expanded into a fully operational food bank, allowing us to reach even more individuals and families in Derby who are facing hardship. We provided 35,000 food parcels to the local community during the period of 2000 and 2023. Our food bank is open fortnightly on Saturdays for our registered members to access our service. Additionally, we place tables outside most weekday evenings with extra donated items available for any member of the community experiencing hardship to access our service.
As we look ahead, our commitment remains steadfast. The challenges of homelessness and hardship in our community are ongoing, and we are determined to continue making a difference.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who has been a part of the Doorways Derby story over the past decade, from those first connections at the Market Place back in 2015 to our continued presence at the Bonnie Prince Statue every Tuesday evening, now reaching so many more in need through our street kitchen and other services as a registered charity.
How you can continue to support us:
Donate essential items: Help us provide food, tents, and warm clothing for our street kitchen and food bank.
Make a financial contribution: Your generosity allows us to sustain our services.
Spread the word: Help us raise awareness.
Let's continue this journey together, ensuring that Doorways Derby can be a beacon of hope for those who need it most in Derby.
With heartfelt thanks for your incredible support over the past decade.
Thank you for being a part of our story.
Craig and Lisa,
Founders of Doorways Derby.
Charity no. 1182774
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