The Food Hub at Moulsecoomb Place: Affordable Food, Support and Community Connection

For the past couple of months, The Food Hub has been running successfully in The Skep at Moulsecoomb Place, the new shared community space at the heart of the building. This new fortnightly initiative is already supporting local households by providing access to affordable food alongside wider community support.

The project is a partnership between East Brighton Trust and Brighton Grub Hub, led by founder Mitchie Alexander. Mitchie is closely connected to many local families and households through her work as a senior councillor and her long-standing involvement with CHOMP, Moulsecoomb Local Action Team, and the Our Place steering group. She also volunteers at Moulsecoomb Community Market and previously ran a similar food provision project during the COVID lockdown, followed by sessions at Moulsecoomb Social Club in 2023, working alongside current volunteer and local resident Alexia.

Affordable Food in a Welcoming Space

The Food Hub offers a wide range of affordable food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned and cupboard staples, dairy products, eggs, and surplus items supplied by Fareshare. Across the first five sessions, the project has supported approximately 150 adults and 100 children, helping households access nutritious food at very low cost.

Recognising that food poverty often intersects with other challenges, The Food Hub has been designed as an informal, welcoming, and inclusive space. Alongside food provision, attendees can access on-site support, advice, and signposting from specialist services and charities. Many people attending the sessions are referred through key partner organisations, ensuring support reaches those who need it most.

Households using the Food Hub include adults who are unable to work due to disabilities or long-term health conditions, people with full-time caring responsibilities, and those with no recourse to public funds.

More Than Food

Each Food Hub session offers much more than food alone. Creative arts activities are delivered by Moulsecoomb Place tenant, Culture Shift, providing opportunities for expression and engagement for both children and adults. A free community café offers tea, coffee, and snacks, creating space for people to sit, talk, and connect.

Over recent sessions, on-site support and advice has been provided by a range of organisations, including Deans & Central PCN, TogetherCo, and The Network of International Women, with generous sweet treats supplied by Bake A Difference. This collaborative approach helps ensure that people feel supported in a holistic and dignified way.