Disability

The Gleaning Pantry is a social supermarket in Downham run by Downham Aid in partnership with Brook Lane Community Church. The project provides affordable food and household goods to residents in Downham and surrounding areas of Lewisham and Bromley, helping to prevent and relieve poverty. Food is sourced from supermarket surplus, FareShare donations and local community contributions, allowing households on low incomes or means-tested benefits to access essential supplies at reduced cost. The initiative grew out of Downham Mutual Aid, which was established in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown and later formalised as the unincorporated association Downham Aid in 2023. In addition to food support, the project aims to assist people facing financial hardship, ill health, disability or other disadvantage, helping strengthen community support networks in the area.

Community Connections Lewisham is a free social prescribing service run by Age UK Lewisham and Southwark that helps adults in the borough discover and access local groups, services and activities that can improve their health, wellbeing and social connection. The service offers information, referrals and short-term personalised support, as well as initiatives such as befriending, volunteer transport and weekly community drop-ins.

Lewisham Speaking Up (LSUP) is an independent charity based in the London Borough of Lewisham that supports people with learning disabilities to speak up, be heard and have greater influence over decisions that affect their lives by providing advocacy, self-advocacy groups and related support services. It works with individuals and groups to promote independence, respect and inclusion and to help people with learning disabilities express their views and rights to public services and other organisations.