It’s not the scroungers: Courtenay Hitchock talks to Carole Jones about the families, carers and key workers all turning to the Vale Family Hub
When the Vale Family Hub opened in March this year, we described it as providing ‘help, hope and great coffee.’ That still rings true, but step through the door today and you’ll find a place where lives, not just shopping baskets, are quietly rebuilt.
At a glance, it looks like a social supermarket – shelves of fresh food, volunteers stacking donations, a welcoming café. But spend a little time listening, and you’ll hear countless stories that defy the stereotypes of who needs help in modern Britain.
‘People assume everyone here is living on benefits,’ says Carole Jones, the Dorset councillor who leads the team. ‘But actually, most of the people who come in are working – they are carers, shop staff, nursery workers, delivery drivers … ‘It’s just that wages are low, rent is high and all the bills have gone up. We’ve had an Emergency Services worker whose wife had a baby, and their household income just dropped. Suddenly they were paying £1,200 a month in rent and couldn’t make ends meet. And this is happening everywhere.’
Helping people rebuild
The Hub started life as The Vale Pantry, providing affordable groceries for a £7 contribution, and the Pantry still runs today. ‘Last year we spent around £160,000 on food. For every £7 contribution someone makes, the actual cost is usually between £23 and £30.
‘But it means people feel they are paying something, choosing their own food, and keeping some dignity. That matters.’
Since the expansion into the Hub, food is only one part of what’s on offer. Around 400 to 500 families are supported over the year. Some come regularly, others just when disaster strikes – a car breaking down, a job lost, or an unexpected bill.
And some arrive with no idea where to begin …
Carole tells the story of one 86-year-old man, recently widowed, who had never cooked a meal in his life. ‘His daughter brought him in. Now he comes every week for a cooking lesson. And he’s made new friends just by sitting and having a chat. That’s what this place is about – it’s never just about the groceries.’
Many are grappling with trauma. One young mother escaped an abusive relationship in Manchester. She fled south with her children, traumatised and alone. ‘She didn’t know anybody. She didn’t know how to start again. At first, she just came for food. Then the team learned she loved running, and introduced her to the Dorset Doddlers, the local running club. It was the beginning of her transformation.
‘She started volunteering in the café. She was gaining confidence again. Then, literally out of the blue, one of our local business owners came in looking for someone to train and give a job to – someone who just needed a chance. She started work last Monday and she’s flying. That’s the kind of thing people never hear about.’
(Saturday 8.30am to 3.45pm)
A place to grow up
Children and teenagers find their way to the Hub too. Some haven’t been to school in months.
‘We’ve got a Year 9 girl who hasn’t been to school since February,’ Carole says. ‘We’ve spent weeks just talking and supporting her and she’s agreed to try a fresh start at a new school in September. That’s huge.’
Another boy, Jamie, simply wouldn’t leave the house. The only compromise he accepted was that if he was allowed to come to the Hub, he would also attend school. ‘It’s about tiny steps. We can’t fix everything overnight. But we can start somewhere.’
The team is planning to launch a youth club and also a men’s support group. The need is clear: ‘Last year we lost three men to suicide – all of them local dads. ‘One of them left four young children. His partner is now one of our volunteers … people don’t realise how common this is.’
But many of the volunteers and staff know exactly how it feels to be in crisis. Kim, now the Hub’s manager, first came during the pandemic. ‘She was in a dreadful state’. Then she disappeared. They later learned she’d been in a coma for three months after major surgery. When Kim returned, she came in just to sit and chat. Gradually, she began volunteering. ‘She was like a magnet – people just opened up to her.’ Today, she works full time at The Hub, and is often the first person someone in distress speaks to. Another volunteer, Lizzie, came hoping for help after her family lost everything in a house fire. And then, just before Christmas, her husband died suddenly of an undiagnosed heart condition. ‘They were just getting back on their feet. She has come through so much. And now she’s here helping other people.’
Then there’s Bradley, a young man with learning difficulties who helps out. ‘One day we sent him out to the container to get more baked beans. Half an hour later he phoned – he was lost in the container! It all adds to the fun – he just wanted to help.’
Beyond the Stereotypes
Carole is clear: poverty isn’t always obvious. ‘People think you can tell by looking at someone how much money they have. And you just can’t. We’ve had people in here who look well off – and they’re living on cereal because they can’t afford a proper meal.’
Sometimes, the issues are hidden. Financial coercion is a regular theme. ‘We’ve supported women who don’t have access to the bank account. They’re doing everything they can to feed the children, and he’s controlling the money. That is domestic abuse, and it’s more common than people realise.’
Others arrive simply overwhelmed by cost of living pressures. ‘We worked through a budget with one family who thought they were in crisis. It turned out they had £600 disposable income, but they didn’t know. It’s nice when it’s as simple as helping people get organised.’
At the Hub, every new person goes through a careful needs assessment. Volunteers look at income and outgoings, find out what’s behind the struggle, and help people with individual needs. Some discover they’re entitled to help they never knew about. Others find practical advice, or just a safe space to breathe. Traditional food banks still have their place – but Carole believes their model is no longer enough. That broader role has been recognised nationally. A June report from Feeding Britain found that while Affordable Food Clubs make a measurable difference to household budgets, it’s their holistic approach – bringing people together and linking them to wider support – that helps build lasting resilience in the face of the cost of living crisis. ‘A food parcel once a week is a sticking plaster. If someone calls in crisis on Friday morning, and the boxes were packed on Wednesday, what happens then? Here, we see people face to face. We understand what’s happening. We can help them work towards something better.’
Sometimes, that means simply being there. Carole tells the story of the family whose dad was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour: ‘Mum had to stop work. Their whole life turned upside down. No six-week food parcel can cover that. They needed help for as long as it took.’
Not what we’re for
Running such a complex operation isn’t cheap. The Hub raises around £350,000 a year – through grants, donations, the café (every cup of coffee, every meal purchased from the Café helps fund the Hub, it’s a hugely important revenue stream which brings in around £1,000 a week) and partnerships.
‘It’s exhausting. I spend hours every day looking for new funding. But I wouldn’t do anything else. And the community support is incredible. We have around 50 volunteers now, and I don’t know what we’d do without them. When you see someone like Lizzie, who has been through so much and still wants to give back – how could you not keep going?’
What clearly unites everyone – volunteers, staff and visitors alike – is the belief that everyone deserves dignity and hope.
‘If people want to change, want to help themselves, we’ll go all out for them. If they just want cheap food, that’s not what we’re here for. But if they want a way back, we’ll stand by them every step of the way.’
valefamilyhub.co.uk
Butts Pond Trading Estate, Sturminster Newton
07968 348481
[email protected]
