A woman who visited Epping Forest’s largest emergency food agency discovered she was “one step away from a major heart attack” after taking advantage of one of the other vital services it offers the community.

3Food4U started out as a community surplus hub with the mission and ethos of supporting people with dignity and respect, but it has grown to help the communities it serves in other ways including offering free health checks.

Jane, who visited the organisation for emergency food support recently, but was encouraged to have a health check, said: “I never imagined when I woke up this morning worrying about food, that this would be the best decision of my life to come to 3Food4U.

“In addition to getting all the fantastic fresh food and groceries that I desperately needed, I saw a nurse who highlighted a number of critical health issues and was referred to my GP.

“He immediately put me on medication and I'm now being monitored. I was just one step away from a major heart attack.”

Epping Forest Guardian:

Reflecting on the achievements of the charity, founder and chairman of trustees Pesh Kapasiawala said: “We now support more than 1000 families a week with emergency food without a referral or assessment, helping those not only in Epping Forest district but Harlow and North London.

“That mission was also to stop surplus food and clothing going to landfill and adding to CO2 emissions and global warming. We have saved 10,000s of tonnes of CO2 and 100s of tonnes of food from being destroyed.

“We have added other vital services as we have listened to public feedback and concerns.

“3MemoryCafe4U in Ongar and Waltham Abbey have been amazing successes, supporting people with memory issues and those that care for them. Our weekly Job Club is providing free professional advice and more to support people back into work.

“One of our most important initiatives has been our partnership with PROVIDE offering free monthly NHS health checks. Our new NHS service at our Waltham Abbey Hub has been incredibly well received by our service users, volunteers, and the wider general public.

“Jane can’t recommend getting your health checked highly enough, even if you think you’re relatively healthy.

“We want to make sure that everyone that needs emergency food support is aware of our non-referral, non-assessed, non-judgemental service. It's tough on your own, but together we can get through this. Please share our details with your friends, neighbours and community groups.”

The charity has a fundraising page at https://www.stewardship.org.uk/pages/3food4u

The charity’s community surplus hubs are open as follows:

  • Monday: Waltham Abbey – 13, Sun Street - 11.30am to 1pm
  • Tuesday: Loughton – Loughton Club, 8, Station Road - 11.30am to 1pm
  • Wednesday: Chigwell Row – All Saints Church Hall, Romford Road - 5pm to 6.30pm
  • Thursday: Ongar – Zinc Arts Centre, High Street - 1pm to 2.30pm
  • Friday: Waltham Abbey – 13, Sun Street - 11.30am to 1pm

For further details, visit www.3food4u.org, email info.3food4u@gmail.com or call 01992 842642.