Our story

In 2021, Rima Sams left behind her thriving London café enterprise to move back to St Leonards to take care of her mother. While providing her mother’s care, Rima became aware via local charitable organisations that there was a desperate need for food support for the local refugee community and for those struggling to make ends meet. 

During COVID, Rima had met Andrew Standen-Raz, founder of London-based social impact project developer Karmabank CIC, who asked her to become Co-Director. Working and collaborating together, they built an incredible resource of helpers, supporters and volunteers. 

Once a week, Rima and this willing team began offering a community kitchen and food bank In St. Leonards, first at Chapel Park Community Centre and then, as the numbers grew, moving to the spacious and light-filled Concordia Hall, on Church Road. Funding was gathered through a CIC, via donations from individuals, businesses and grants.

On Thursdays, locals in need of support have been able to access the food bank (with the emphasis on fresh food, but also cans, packets and personal hygiene items). They also enjoy a meal cooked by talented local volunteer chefs at long, shared tables, helping to build a vital sense of community. On a daily basis, a team of volunteers collects excess food from local supermarkets, which is frozen and then turned into Thursday’s delicious menu, together with freshly donated items.

The organisation has also offered workshops in preserving and fermenting, nurturing home cooking skills among attendees, staged (with the support of local businesses) at the Stade Community Hall in Hastings Old Town.

Initially created as an arm of Karmabank (London), a CIC, Rima and her management team felt that it was important to set up a registered charity for the Hastings and St. Leonards’ activities. This puts the enterprise on a firm and formalised footing, while offering donors and the charity itself the benefit of Gift Aid, which is an important boost to finances for any qualifying social enterprise.

Fast forward, and this ongoing, valuable food and community-building project was relaunched in September 2024 as Sustenance, offering a shared food experience and a sense of belonging.

  • Rima Sams

    FOUNDER

    Rima’s creative background in sustainable fashion and natural foods has driven several start ups across Europe, from the world’s first energy drink Gusto to the House of Khadi luxury fashion label. 

    At the beginning of the pandemic Rima energised a team of volunteers at her Theatre Kitchen for the vulnerable in her community who had slipped through the local authority’s net. She produced over six thousand meals for COVID relief from her kitchen at the Playground Theatre, W10 and continued food support from her café at St. John’s Church, Notting Hill using surplus food collected from The Felix Project. This experience prompted Rima to only be interested in working on projects that create positive impact.

  • James Bennett

    TRUSTEE

    After 25 years working and living in London I moved down to Hastings in 2020 and in the midst of lockdown zoom calls decided I needed to do something totally different. 

    With a long term love of food, cooking and feeding people I started looking at local opportunities in the food and hospitality industry. I also went to Ballymaloe Cookery school to do their amazing 12 week course. 

    Rima and I met through a mutual friend just as she was starting up the community kitchen and I started volunteering. I love the excitement of coming in on a Thursday morning with no idea what ingredients we are going to have, and working out what we can cook for our members in 3 hours that will be as tasty and nutritious as we can make it.

    At a volunteer meeting at the beginning of the year Rima mentioned how much surplus food there was that we weren’t able to collect and store and it hit me that was a problem that could be solved. So I asked if I could get more involved to develop what we do to help more people eat nutritious food and reduce food waste.

  • Madeleine Mason

    TRUSTEE

    Initially I was very doubtful about what I could bring to the Trustee party as I have no professional qualifications or experience of being on a board. But after some consideration I changed my mind. I have been active in the project since it started nearly three years ago and in my role as Front of House I have met and engaged with the members, learning who attends and why, built rapport, signposted and received much feedback. So I believe this is what I can contribute to help shape and steer Sustenance into the future.

    I value empathy and kindness and forging community connection and I think the project delivers these in spades. I love to see people really enjoy their lunch that has been made with care and with food that has been rescued. I love the volunteers. No really. It's a privilege to be a bigger part of all that.

  • Celia Wilson

    TRUSTEE

    I started my involvement in the early days of Sustenance Food Support and am pleased to have supported its journey to becoming a fully-fledged charity.

    It has been rewarding to put my professional experience to use as a trustee for this small but mighty local charity. The dedication of the volunteers and the tangible difference they make in our community is truly remarkable. Their commitment to reducing food waste and alleviating food poverty aligns perfectly with my values.

    As a trustee, I am honoured to support and contribute to this vital mission.