Mustard Tree

Wishing everybody a brilliant #ManchesterPride weekend from Mustard Tree!

Lukasz, one of our volunteers at Mustard Tree Little Hulton, has now obtained a PAT testing certificate at our Ancoats branch under the supervision of our Technical Manager Peter. Portable Appliance Testing means to test electronic appliances and equipment to ensure they are safe to use.
This is key for us, as it means we can now sell many more electrical donations that come to our shops, and so people can access appliances to help with cooking and make a house a home, that m...ight normally be too expensive. Certainly if you are living in temporary accommodation or have a new tenancy, you may not have good standard or any facilities at all. Having access to these items means people can have more choice, more dignity and more comfort in their lives.
These skills are really important and will help Lukasz to pursue opportunities and work in his chosen field. But he's not done yet...he will also be starting Manchester College in September to study Mechanical Engineering! Well done Lukasz, amazing work.
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We have a new art exhibition for the whole of August at Nexus Art Café on Dale Street. No better way to show off some of our fantastic volunteers work from the last couple of months that they've worked so hard on.
Mark here from our Ancoats base will be exhibiting these pieces pictured, all to do with his childhood and memories of growing up. He attends our weekly art classes, which gives him a supportive safe community space and the resources to explore and express his ideas... and huge talent. As Mark has his own mental health struggles, the space he works in is critical to his wellbeing and we have seen Mark go from strength to strength.
He said "I had a difficult time growing up with my childhood and most of it I have only just come to terms with in the past five years. This series of pieces shows that journey on paper, and externalises my memories which can be hard. Though this process meant I brought up a lot of negative stuff, thanks to Mustard Tree I've been able to come through it and create something really positive and therapeutic".
To see Marks incredible work and many more just like it, please head down to Nexus Art Cafe to take a look this month and support our artists! Please share and tell your friends!
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Here at Mustard Tree, we are all about creating opportunity and allowing people to believe in themselves and their ability to move forward. Viv is currently on a placement with us from The Growth Company Manchester and is doing exceptionally well learning new administration skills, volunteering on the helpdesk and in retail. Every area of our charity is a place of learning and opportunity, to see your value in helping others and gain skills. Freedom Coordinator Jacquie is ver...y happy indeed to have Viv on board to assist with all aspects of admin and helping us offer the best service we can.
Viv has also signed up to a distance learning course studying business and administration and will receive a NCFE Level 2 certificate once this has been completed. Viv said "I'm loving my experience so far and looking forward to the new academic year in September. I'll also be completing a Microsoft Office 10 week course with Corinth Training!".
Every day we support people to change their lives across Greater Manchester who are experiencing homelessness and poverty with people like Viv who have faced barriers before to moving forward in life. People helping people is how we make real change!
To find out more about our community, go to www.mustardtree.org.uk and if you would like more information, please ring us on 0161 850 2282 or email information@mustardtree.org.uk.
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We would like to welcome and introduce Michael who is one of our newest Freedom volunteers at Mustard Tree Little Hulton and has been fantastic since he first started last week. Volunteering on the vans and helping out in our shop, helping others in need and supporting our wonderful customers. Our shops are open to everyone and can provide support to people who are homeless and great finds for furniture and household goods.
He is currently homeless and is happy to volunteer i...n the community to help prevent homelessness and combat poverty. Joining our Freedom Project means people volunteer within our charity, join our community, gain skills and create opportunities to move forward in life. You can see more about it here http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/get-help/jo in-our-community/ Michael is currently staying at temporary accommodation in Salford and is enjoying his experience with us so far. Well done Michael.
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Yay! So proud of Mark and our other volunteers exhibiting this month - thanks for the love Nexus Art Café!
Get yourself down between now and the 31st and learn more about our artists. We run many creative programs, including our art classes which are mixed medium and open to anyone - just bring along a project or an idea and we've got the lovely community studio, resources and experience on hand to help you turn it into a beautiful piece.
You can see our timetables and activities here http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/activities/

Would you like to take up a trustee position with a developing and growing charity, with a brilliant reputation across Greater Manchester? Are you the person to help us step into the next phase of our exciting work combatting poverty and preventing homelessness and isolation? See our advert below - vacancies on a rolling basis for the next 12 months to find the perfect fit for our board http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/about-us/ca reers/

Starting today, we have a new art exhibition starting for the whole of August at Nexus Art Café on Dale Street. No better way to show off some of our fantastic volunteers work from the last couple of months that they've worked so hard on.
Mark here from our Ancoats base will be exhibiting these pieces pictured, all to do with his childhood and memories of growing up. He attends our weekly art classes, which gives him a supportive safe community space and the resources to expl...ore and express his ideas and huge talent. As Mark has his own mental health struggles, the space he works in is critical to his wellbeing and we have seen Mark go from strength to strength.
He said "I had a difficult time growing up with my childhood and most of it I have only just come to terms with in the past five years. This series of pieces shows that journey on paper, and externalises my memories which can be hard. Though this process meant I brought up a lot of negative stuff, thanks to Mustard Tree I've been able to come through it and create something really positive and therapeutic".
To see Marks incredible work and many more just like it, please head down to Nexus Art Cafe to take a look this month and support our artists! Please share and tell your friends!
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All of our amazing good news stories for the month just gone, all in one place! Read our monthly round-up of achievements, employments and lots of wonderfulness in between.
These stories and so many others happen to real people everyday here and just shows what can be achieved if you can create opportunity.
http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/2018/07/jul y-good-news/

Amazing amazing news. Do you guys remember Paul from one of our posts a couple of months back?
Here he is, having just got his drivers license back in June. Since, this picture was taken, Paul has taken on a full-time position within Mustard Tree as our new Warehouse Supervisor! He's one of the hardest working here, coming in at seven and often the last to leave. He's an asset to the warehouse, ensuring our collections and deliveries are on point and the shop consistently su...pplied with fantastic furniture. Without this crucial work managing our warehouse team, our Ancoats shop would not operate as it does, meaning we can make vital funds (over 1/3 of our income) from the sales!
Today, Paul came in suited and booted and people hardly recognised him! He announced that today he went round to see a flat and was accepted in under 10 minutes! He had been living in temporary accommodation and ended up paying a very high rent as he has secured full-time employment. People are often punished financially for gaining full employment and taking massive steps to move forward with their lives. Securing this flat, with support and advice from our Freedom team will make all the difference for Paul, after struggling to find somewhere suitable for a long time.
Trying to put your finger on what exactly Mustard Tree does can sometimes be hard. But Paul's story really shows it in a nutshell: hope, progress, opportunity allowing people to believe in themselves. Thankyou so much for supporting us and joining us on these journey's.
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Check out our latest monthly good news roundup - The Dollop - for that amazing Friday feeling. This month, like every month, has been full of amazing stories, achievements and wonderfulness.
Read on for all things Mustard Tree to hear what's been going on in July. In the middle of all the madness, it can be nice just to take a minute and read about a whole dollop of good in the world!
Happy Friday everyone :) ... http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/2018/07/jul y-good-news/
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Fancy taking on a challenge to combat poverty and prevent homelessness? We've still got a couple of places going in Team Mustard for the Manchester Half Marathon! It's the flattest and friendliest half in the UK, so perfect if it's your first. We would love to welcome a few more to our team for October 14th.
There's still plenty of time to get involved! Please get in touch if you might be interested on rachel.trafford@mustardtree.org.uk, or shoot us a Facebook message. You can go to our website here for more details http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/…/run-man chester-10k-team-mu…/
If you want to take on a challenge of a different kind, or already have your place for the Half Marathon but want to support us with fundraising, get in touch! We'd love to hear from you!

Check out our CEO Jo Walby in the Manchester Evening News today talking about tackling entrenched rough sleeping and homelessness, and how it's about so much more than a roof over your head. It's about having long-term support, that allows people to make mistakes and still rely on it, being part of a community that values you and a chance to make real change through gaining skills based on your own self-determined goals. That's why what Mustard Tree does is so important to th...e fabric of all that's going on in Manchester to tackle this with housing partners, charities and local government.
“The answer lies in profound social change and intensive support, because just referring people to agencies and expecting them to stay off the streets isn’t enough. For someone who is entrenched coming away from friends, addiction, and the street is tough, especially if they don’t have the life skills to manage money, employment and look after themselves. There needs to be truly affordable housing, support gaining life skills and help to set up essentials".
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/â €¦/how-homelessness-…
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Do you want to learn something new, try something creative or gain skills that could help you into employment? Or if you just want to become part of a fantastic community and meet new people! Mustard Tree will have an opportunity for you.
Check out our current summer timetables of courses, classes and creative arts sessions at Mustard Tree Ancoats. Each class runs on a drop-in basis and is completely free, and run by excellent experienced tutors. You don't have to have any ex...perience or prior knowledge - just come along and see what you think. When you arrive, just let our reception team know what you're here for and they'll be happy to help and direct you. You are also invited for a hot drink afterwards in our cafe.
If you want any further information about any courses or sessions, please ring 0161 850 2282 or email us information@mustardtree.org.uk. We'd love to see you there!
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Another great real story showing how important it is to do everything you can to engage people with services. Just a kind word and a chance to be properly listened to can make all the difference, and start opening up opportunities.
A man rang on behalf of his friend this week. His friend was in trouble, with no food and no money to get him through the week and wondering what he could do. They were struggling to access our website and any information. We advised to come down, ...have a chat and we could fill in the relevant information so he could get the provisions he needed.
They travelled all the way from Stockport to receive emergency provision. He had the chance to sit down and be properly listened to about his situation with our services manager. He was in a low place after losing his mum and struggling long-term with his health.
After his chat, he registered with us, meaning he can get further discounts in our shop and access to Food Club, subsidising shopping with up to 15 items, inc fresh, for £2 a week. For many struggling to make ends meet, this could be the difference between eating and not eating especially when struggling with sanctions and benefits system delays. He also signed up for our Money Smart weekly course, designed to help take control of your finances, make your money go further and manage debt. The friend who made the original call also signed up for Money Smart and our weekly Job Club sessions, where our staff and experienced volunteers are on hand for all aspects of finding and preparing for meaningful work and training!
This is a fantastic result most importantly for our new people, who we are so happy to welcome to Mustard Tree. Our reception is the open door to everything we offer no matter who you are. We won’t just give you a food parcel and send you on your way. We want to do everything we can to understand what has brought you here and how we can offer you opportunities and support to make change, on your terms. That’s how you build futures away from homelessness and poverty for good, and reach out to those in isolation.
Like what we do? Donate and be there with us to support those in poverty, experiencing homelessness and trapped in isolation in Greater Manchester and show them we’ve got their backs. Find out how you can make a difference http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/support-us/ donate-money/
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Thankyou so much for His Church for their massive food donation today. Richard and his former colleague James brought a palette of food worth £2000!! Such a good nutritional blend of products from sauces and pasta to cereals and rice.
James had done the Manchester 10k in May and used his sponsorship money to sponsor our palette and cover any administration costs for us to get the palette to us! We are so grateful to both for their support. His Church do fantastic work getting... food, clothing toiletries and more from suppliers that would otherwise be wasted!
Their donations will go a long way to helping us make up food parcels and stocking our Food Club, as the numbers relying on our food stocks rise over the summer holidays as families struggle to make ends meet. Children on school holidays should never have to go hungry and parent's shouldn't have to miss a meal to feed them. Support like this will help us meet the demand across Greater Manchester. Thankyou so much!
If you want to support our food stores, you can organise a food collection for us too! If you can, please drop it at any of our three hubs - see our locations and opening times here. A good meal and access to sustainable healthier food sources is often the open door into what Mustard Tree does - we provide more than just a meal, we provide a platform for real change.
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Amazing news...hopefully some of you might remember Borris as we shared his life story not too long ago.
Well...we are absolutely delighted to announce Borris has now got his Indefinite Leave to Remain status! As an asylum seeker, this means he is now free to take up residency in the UK, with no formal time restrictions on his time here.
Borris said "I am totally over the moon. Now, this means i can bring my young daughter over to be with me and hopefully start my training ...to begin working once I'm settled. I would really like to become a nurse".
Mustard Tree will be here as long as needed to support Borris into this next phase of his journey since fleeing such hardship and we couldn't be more pleased for him. Read his amazing story here http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/2018/06/bor riss-story/
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It's Friday...so it's your Good News time!
Shaun (left) is our head chef at Mustard Tree, cooking amazing food for around 80 people everyday including staff, volunteers and people on our programs and courses. Normski is his right hand man in the kitchen, who is a volunteer on our Freedom project.
Every morning we have a full team brief and Shaun handed Normski a values card, announcing to everyone how pleased he was at Normski running the kitchen in his absence yesterday so ...Shaun could go on training. The value was 'Belief in People'- to celebrate the empowerment Normski had shown.
Normski started crying as he got handed the card. He said "it just makes me emotional to receive this, because he knows how low my confidence used to be. It just really means alot". Since starting at Mustard Tree, Normski has done further catering qualifications, started our digital skills program using apps creating video and storytelling and applied for five jobs last week. We wish him luck, though we really don't want to lose him from our team!
The Freedom project is our flagship employability and life skills program where people volunteer and join our enterprise in multiple areas, one being our kitchen. We enable people who may be experiencing poverty, isolation, unemployment and poor mental health to believe they have lots to contribute to their community and through helping others, create opportunities to help themselves.
Shaun himself came through the Freedom Project after struggling with depression and long-term unemployment so is well placed to mentor our volunteers. We really do practice what we preach, by offering opportunities internally for progression. When someone believes in you and has your back, you can believe in your ability to achieve your goals. Read more about Shaun's story here http://www.mustardtree.org.uk/2017/06/sha uns-story/
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Wonderful place! Changed my life, and lots of other peoples lives. Many people comment on the wonderful atmosphere in the place. Full of beautiful people and the presence of God.

Such a special place � treating people with such kindness and dignity, and with such commitment to creating opportunities for everyone.

Really nice place, easy access and local parking

People at the mustard tree are amazing so supportive to the gay people I like to thank them very much from chanel

Love this place! Mustard Tree is a place full of opportunities. Some people are born with opportunities some people are not - but everyone has the chance to create opportunity at Mustard Tree. You can also get some great bargains in the shop!

It was my first visit yesterday and I absolutely loved it. It's an amazing place and the staff are lovely, especially Paul in the coffee shop and Peter, who very kindly showed me round. Such a bright, cheerful and welcoming place and so much to see and do for anyone who just wants to visit, or use its facilities. We should have more places like this in our city. We'll done to everyone who helps to make Mustard Tree the wonderful place it is.

I would just like to commend Mustard Tree and their A-Team for their professionalism, great service delivery and excellent quality of second-hand goods! I purchased a bed and wardrobe from them, and - much to my delight -just had it delivered today! Apart from a slight delay in getting to my house - mostly due to the fact that my house is situated in the most ridiculously hard-to-access corner of Bury New Road - their friendly and dedicated delivery team demonstrated a firm commitment to going above and beyond expectations, even offering to assemble the furniture for me. What makes matters even better is knowing that whilst investing in transforming my house into a home, I am also contributing towards fighting poverty and homelessness. I will definitely be offering my support in the future! <3

Friendly team with great value preloved furniture and clothes...a positive way of helping those without a home or with financial struggles. Looking forward to getting my coffee table and wasing machine. Happy to have found a good home to give my items that I no longer need. Please Donate what you don't need or your time to fab local charity:)

Excellent!

Best charity in Manchester! Hugely dedicated staff and volunteers and making a real difference to people's lives across Manchester

Amazing place and they do some amazing work.

Who also provides a safe place for recovering addicts like me to have a meeting.

Thank you to all the staff�

Amazing people a privilege to have worked with you all even if just for the day x

i didnt know what to expect has i am struggle i have no furniture for my new flat but the staff were very kindly and helped me to gain information and the stuff are nice and clean

Things have dramatically improved, customer service is now on key and volunteers seem much happier. Prices are now much more realistic but I'd strongly recommend cleaning items before sale.

The staff are very friendly and approachable and lovely atmosphere

I used to be a former volunteer at mustard tree's ancoat's branch. I started their 03/12/2007 . I left because i wasn't in the rightful frace of mind. The only thing that i regret is not seeing a member of staff. Or not speaking about how i was feeling on that day. Eventually I felt neglected at the time. But my biggest regret is not going to the office to sort thing's out. Every day i still kick myself about that dission i made to walk out of mustard tree that day. 17/03/2014

Not happy waited in for a bed frame to be collected I took it all down thinking it would help and the guy picking it up has just cancelled after me waiting in because it's been taken down and it's not metal. Will not be arranging to donate anything again waste of my time!

Workfare? What on earth are you thinking Mustard Tree?



How can you justify this decision? Exploiting people

I though coming to the mustard tree was going to be good �.... But i didn't really enjoy it cause you had some people who bullied me when i was their and nothing got sorted so i just walk out ages ago and didnt come back ����