Austin’s Funeral Directors is one of the oldest and most prestigious companies in Hertfordshire. (We’ve been helping Hertfordshire people for over 320 years.) Each year, the directors choose a local charity to support. As a family business working closely with members of the community, we carefully select charities helping local people. During 2024, Austin’s chosen charity is Feed Up Warm Up, a homeless charity based in north Herts.
Feed Up Warm Up offers food and friendship to homeless people in our community who need support. However, it is not a traditional food bank or homeless shelter. Instead, Feed Up Warm Up provides a safe, welcoming space, one evening a week, where guests can pop by to enjoy a hot meal and a chat, hear some live music and find practical and emotional help.
Feed Up Warm Up provides two drop-in centres. The original location is in Stevenage, based at Stevenage FC’s football ground. It was opened by Feed Up Warm Up’s founder, Shane Cole, in 2018. Shane has personal experience of homelessness and a background in catering. He therefore has a unique perspective on how best to offer food and warmth to homeless people. Football is at the heart of the charity … Feed Up Warm Up’s long-term ambassador is former England goalkeeper David James. The charity also has its own football team.
A second centre opens weekly in Hitchin, at the Scout hut by Our Lady Immaculate Church. This location also runs the Hitchin Pantry, with membership open to the local families and community. For a small weekly subscription of £5, members of this pantry can buy food, including fresh fruit and vegetables and store cupboard favourites, to the value of £15 or more.
The multi award-wining charity goes from strength to strength, offering outreach support across the county. Feed Up Warm Up also has a charity shop in Stevenage’s indoor market.
The Auston’s team is proud to support Feed Up Warm Up and its outstanding work across Herts. To find out more about Feed Up Warm Up, including how to support the charity or join its “orange army” of volunteers, please visit: https://feedupwarmup.co.uk/
