Brightside Food Bank
Three days of good food, no judgement and no fuss. First visit? Just walk in – we’ll sort any paperwork over a cuppa, and there’s always fresh fruit and veg on the shelves.
Croydon’s neighbourhood charity
Nobody in Croydon should face a hard week alone.
We run the food bank, the youth club, the elder-care visits and the free English classes that keep our corner of South London standing together. Walk in, ring us, or just come for the tea – the kettle is always on at the Hub.
Registered charity no. 1198765 Serving Croydon since 2011 316 local volunteers
Last year, together
Small acts. Big numbers.
Figures from our 2025 annual report – audited, published and pinned to the Hub noticeboard.
0
meals served
through the food bank and Wednesday lunch club
0
active volunteers
from every corner of the borough
0
families supported
with food, advice and a friendly ear
0
languages spoken
in our free ESOL classes
What we do
Four programmes, one open door
Everything happens at the Brightside Hub on Milton Lane – step-free, pram-friendly and five minutes from East Croydon station.
Bright Sparks Youth Club
Music studio, homework corner, five-a-side and a hot dinner every session. Run by youth workers who grew up round here – ages 11 to 17, and nobody is ever turned away over money.
Golden Hours
Weekly home visits for older neighbours who’d like the company, plus our famous Wednesday lunch club – two courses, a quiz and the free minibus that picks you up from your door.
Brightside ESOL
Free English classes in small, friendly groups – five levels from first words to job-ready. Taught by trained volunteers, with a free crèche on Saturdays so parents can learn too.
Coming up
Dates for the fridge door
Fun days, taster sessions and fundraisers – most are free, all are friendly. The full calendar lives on our events page, and printed copies sit by the Hub front desk.
-
8Aug
Brightside Summer Fun Day
Live music, community stalls, food from six continents and the legendary tug-of-war against Croydon Fire Station. Bring a blanket.
Free entry -
13Aug
ESOL Taster Evening
Meet the teachers, find your level and enrol for the autumn term on the spot. Interpreters on hand; children welcome.
Free – just turn up -
22Aug
The Big Brightside Quiz Night
Teams of up to six, £8 a ticket, chip-shop supper included. Every penny goes straight to the food bank shelves.
Fundraiser · £8
In their own words
Stories from the bright side
Shared with permission. Names are first names only – this is a small borough, after all.
I came in September knowing three words of English. Ten months on I’ve passed my Level 2 and started as a teaching assistant at my daughter’s school. Brightside gave me my voice back.
After my wife died the weeks got very long. The Wednesday lunch club is the best two hours of my week – and the minibus driver always saves me the front seat.
Join in
Every good week starts with a hello
Give a few pounds a month, give an hour on a Saturday, or just pop in for a look round the Hub. However you arrive, you’ll be very welcome.