Local charity in the Kingston borough, Save the World Club, has pioneered for the past two decades, providing food, beds for those sleeping on the floor, and sleeping bags for those outdoors. 

Staring as a charity utilising recycled materials to create unique kinetic & mechanical structures to tell stories of waste and other important, environmental messages, this charity over the past years has developed into a force of aid and support for those that are in desperate need. 

Suzy Azar, one of the volunteers of the charity, said that this charity “Saves both household items and foodstuffs from landfill or incineration, keeping it circulating through up cycling, redistribution and public art.” 

The food saved is later donated to vulnerable populations and families around the Kingston Upon Thames borough, the charity also having contracts with the Council to furnish homes for incoming refugees, using donated goods and “volunteer manpower” to complete them.

When asked about what locals can do to provide for this charity, Azar mentions that volunteering for food collection and delivery & financial donation are key to allowing STWC to continue. 

Azar grew up in the developing world in the late 70s, learning that “people acting with compassion” within their own local communities was a key factor in surviving such turbulent times, and is extremely important in life. 

Believing that social awareness in political issues is necessary for progression, Azar further mentions that being informed of poverty means that people “need to observe, discuss and become aware.”