As part of our commitment to creating meaningful social value through our partnership with Teign Housing, LivGreen is proud to support the Dawlish Community Larder with a £538 donation.
As a retrofit provider, our work is about more than improving the energy efficiency of homes. Through our work with Teign Housing, we also have an opportunity to invest in the communities where we operate, supporting local organisations, creating positive social impact and helping make a difference to residents beyond the retrofit works themselves.
Our donation to the Dawlish Community Larder is one of these initiatives.
The Larder provides vital support to local individuals and families experiencing financial hardship, while offering something just as important as food: dignity, choice, connection and a sense of community.
At LivGreen, we know that creating warmer, more energy-efficient homes is an important part of improving people's quality of life.
However, the challenges facing households can extend far beyond energy efficiency.
For some residents, rising household costs can make it difficult to afford everyday essentials, including food. That is why social value is such an important part of our partnership with Teign Housing.
Our £538 contribution will help the Dawlish Community Larder continue developing a more welcoming, customer-focused service, giving local people greater choice and helping them access support in an environment built around respect and dignity.
It is an example of how retrofit programmes can create benefits that reach beyond the physical improvements made to a home.
The Dawlish Community Larder was founded in 2020 by ROC Dawlish (Redeeming Our Community) in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
What started as a grassroots initiative led by Mark and Jo Jones, supporting around 10 families a week through word-of-mouth referrals, has grown into a well-loved community resource supporting approximately 24 families every week.
Today, the Larder works closely with local agencies to ensure support reaches those who need it most.
But it is not simply about providing food parcels.
The Larder is creating a welcoming, shopping-style experience where people can choose items that meet their individual needs. This approach helps people maintain a sense of independence and dignity during what can be an incredibly difficult time.
As Larder Manager Liz explains:
“At the Larder, we don't just fill bags; we build connections, share hope and ensure that every person is met with the dignity and care they deserve.”
The impact of the Larder extends far beyond the food it provides.
Volunteers often develop trusted relationships with the people who use the service, helping to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing.
One volunteer recalls supporting a local resident who initially wouldn't even open her door when food deliveries arrived. Over time, through patience, kindness and encouragement, she gradually built the confidence to visit the Larder herself and collect her food in person.
It is stories like this that demonstrate the wider value of community support.
A food donation can provide an immediate practical benefit, but the relationships built around that support can help people feel more confident, connected and part of their community.
The Dawlish Community Larder also plays an important role in reducing food waste locally.
Donations from supermarkets including Sainsbury's, Lidl and the Co-op help ensure good-quality food that is approaching its sell-by date reaches local people rather than going to waste.
Churches, community groups and local residents also provide regular donations, while targeted appeals help secure essential items that families need most.
As Liz puts it:
“Good food shouldn't go to waste, and no one in our community should go without. The Larder brings both together by redistributing surplus food with dignity.”
It is a simple but powerful model: reducing waste while helping people who need additional support.
The success of the Dawlish Community Larder is built on collaboration.
Volunteers, donors, local supermarkets, churches, community organisations, Dawlish Town Council, local agencies and other food support organisations all play an important role in keeping the service running.
Our partnership with Teign Housing is another part of that wider network.
Through our retrofit work, we are helping improve the energy efficiency of homes across the region through the Government's Warm Homes Scheme, supporting residents to live in warmer, more efficient homes and helping reduce energy consumption and, where possible, household bills.
Through our social value commitments, we can also contribute to initiatives that address some of the wider challenges residents face.
Together, these activities demonstrate that improving communities is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about supporting the people who live in those homes too.
For LivGreen, social value means looking at how our work can create positive outcomes beyond the core service we provide.
Our £538 donation to the Dawlish Community Larder is one example of this in action.
By supporting a local organisation that provides food, reduces waste, builds relationships and creates a sense of belonging, we are helping contribute to a stronger and more connected Dawlish community.
Mark Jones, who helped establish the Larder, highlights the importance of working together:
“We want to see fewer people going hungry and a stronger community where people support one another. We work closely with Teign Housing, LivGreen and our local partners to make that happen. We simply couldn't do it without our volunteers.”
LivGreen Associate Director Jake Eames highlights the importance of delivering quality retrofit alongside meaningful social value:
“It’s fantastic to see the positive impact our work is having here in partnership with Teign Housing. We’re incredibly proud of the quality of the retrofit works we’re delivering and the difference they are making to residents’ homes and everyday lives. Alongside this, our social value initiatives give us the opportunity to support the wider communities we work in. Meeting the people and organisations benefiting from this support and seeing the difference it makes first-hand really brings home the importance of what we do. It’s about delivering high-quality retrofit improvements while also investing in local communities and creating meaningful, lasting change.”
Our partnership with Teign Housing demonstrates how retrofit programmes can deliver benefits that go beyond improving the energy performance of homes.
From helping residents live in warmer, more energy-efficient homes to supporting local initiatives that tackle food insecurity and reduce food waste, we are proud to play our part in creating meaningful social value.
The Dawlish Community Larder is a powerful example of what can happen when local organisations come together around a shared purpose.
Because ultimately, building better communities is about more than improving buildings.
It is about people, dignity and opportunity.
And through our partnership with Teign Housing, we are proud to be helping make a difference.