A team from Oxygen Finance recently volunteered with Let’s Feed Brum, an inspiring Birmingham-based charity that helps people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness access vital support.

Supporting a Vital Local Charity

Founded in 2016, Let’s Feed Brum is volunteer-led and provides hot food and drinks, snacks, toiletries, clothing, essential supplies, and even free haircuts. These services allow volunteers to build connections with people who may need extra encouragement to access local support.

Alongside serving breakfasts, the charity runs daily evening walkabouts, meeting rough sleepers to provide hot food donated by local restaurants, as well as offering personal support. A dedicated chatline is also open every day, giving people experiencing loneliness or uncertainty a place to turn for guidance.

Volunteering at the Breakfast Club

Our team – Charlie Wetherell, Support Hub Analyst; Libby Burgwin, Director of Client Services; Ellie Rushton, Senior Operational Support Hub Analyst; and Gwen Moralee, Research and Information Officer – joined one of the twice-weekly breakfast services.

Gwen explained: “The breakfast club provides food, drink and essential supplies within the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral, and we were made to feel very welcome by the organisers Katherine and Alan who allocated our tasks for the morning.”

The event was organised around four stands – hot food, hot drinks, clothing and supplies, and toiletries, snacks and bottled drinks. Each played an important role in helping attendees access essentials and take a moment to connect with the volunteers and organisers. A large number of people came along, highlighting both the need for and the impact of the service.

Shelter England’s 2024 report highlights the scale of the challenge in Birmingham, showing that over 18,000 people were experiencing homelessness and living in temporary accommodation arranged by the council as of June 2024. The work of Let’s Feed Brum is a vital support in this wider landscape.

Reflections from the Team

For Gwen, the experience was both eye-opening and inspiring: “The charity really does feel like the best of humanity – people simply trying to help others in any way that they can.”

Listening to personal stories helped our volunteers to humanise the issue of homelessness and reinforced how much of a difference a listening ear and a helping hand can make.

Looking Ahead

We’re delighted that our team members have been able to support our local community through this initiative. Let’s Feed Brum relies heavily on businesses and individuals for volunteers and funding, and we hope to return to support their work again in the future.

To learn more or get involved, visit letsfeedbrum.com.