A hive of activity at the Lower Green Support Hub

A Walton Charity Community Grant of almost £40,000 (over three years) will contribute towards the salary costs of a manager for the Beehive Support Hub - a not-for-profit café and community hub at the Lower Green Community Centre in Esher.

The Hub provides a warm and friendly place for Lower Green residents to meet socially and access specialist support and advice, where needed.  Whether they just want a cup of tea and a chat or are struggling with debt, mental health, or other issues, it’s a place to go when things are tough.  By offering people practical support and a listening ear early on, it prevents problems from escalating to a crisis.   

Many of the Hub’s projects centre around food - bridging the gap between food waste and food poverty by redistributing surplus supermarket and home-grown produce for local families through their Community Fridge. Over the winter months the Beehive is operating as a Warm Welcome Hub providing homemade soup and free hot drinks and access to other initiatives to support local people during the cost-of-living crisis. The Surrey-based baby bank, Stripey Stork, also visits each fortnight, providing good quality clothing, toys and essential items for babies and children.  

The hardworking team at the Support Hub are keen to expand the services offered in the future and provide a calendar of events, skills workshops, social groups, health and advice services and much more.  

Jenny French, Community Projects Manager Lower Green Community CIO said: “We are very grateful to Walton Charity for their generous grant to support the work of our Community Hub. To have the salary of our Support Hub Manager assured for the next three years is a great boost and will help us to plan and develop further services and projects to support the local community in the future.”