About Us
Sutton Community Project is run by a group of volunteers and committed to reduce food waste, inspire more sustainable ways of living and support people in lower income in our local community for a better future for all.
Our vision
Our vision is to share God's love, reduce food waste, fight against poverty and bringing the community together in the town of Sutton and beyond.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do, helping us to support our community effectively. Sutton Community Project is based on, shaped, and guided by Christian principles. These values have strong roots in the Christian teaching and practice, whilst also being accessible and meaningful for everyone, regardless their belief or background. These values provide a strong shared foundation to help our neighbours, ending food poverty in the UK and inspire our community more environmentally friendly sustainable living for a better future for all.
Our values
Our values are the fundamental driving principles that encapsulate the passion and motivation for our campaigns.
Love: ' Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Mark 12:31 NIV). Loving your neighbor means acting with compassion. A heart that’s moved by compassion cannot sit idly by while someone suffers a need. Loving your neighbor as yourself is being moved to help to the full extent of our ability.
Community: We believe we share the responsibility to support one another in our communities. We are designed not to live on our own but in the community of people. In order to create change for a better society and environment, we must work together.
Dignity: We recognize the innate value of each individual person and seek to prioritise the other person’s needs and concerns in the spirit of mutuality and friendship. Regardless of background.
Operational Team
Andy Ritchie
Founder, volunteer
Sayuri Kato Ritchie
Co-Founder, volunteer
Johnny U
Tuesday Distribution Food Manager, Volunteer
Brian Durrant
Open Well Senior Leader, Volunteer
Gemma Lineker
Tuesday Community Cafe Manager, Volunteer
Robin Walpole
Tuesday Front Desk Manager, Volunteer
Our History
Nov 2020 - A table top food distribution starts from the porch during the national lock down
March 2021 - A surprise visit by the Mayor of Merton and receive Easter Eggs for food box
July 2021 - Sutton Community Project was born with a help of South London Japanese Church
Autumn 2021 - 'Outstanding Community Champion Award 2021' is awarded to Andrew Ritchie and he is also selected a finalist for 'The Innovator of the Year Award 2021'
June 2022 - Free food stall successfully well-received at Hong Kong Friendship Festival
June 2022 - Lighting the beacon celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee for Her Majesty
Jan 2023 - Hosting 'Miracle Meal' event featuring a guest speaker Jackie Pullinger MBE
April 2023 - Andrew Ritchie presents SCP at Sutton Soup event
April 2023 - Trish Fivey, the Mayor of Sutton visits Sutton Community Project
Autumn 2023 - The Outstanding Volunteering Group finalist in 2023
Dec 2023 - SCP Volunteers fundraise for our partner DONS Wimbledon
Jan 2024 - Sutton Community Project was adopted to The Foundry International
June 2024 - Hosting 'The Big Lunch' with Eden Project featuring a guest speaker Jackie Pullinger MBE and Colin Stear the Mayor of Sutton
Dec 2024 - Andrew & Sayuri participate the Award Ceremony of Sutton Hong Kong volunteer group
Dec 2024 - Hosting the 'Bag of Blessings' event for Ukrainian refugee community in Sutton
Oct 2025 - Moving from Room 14 to Big Hall (capacity 300)
Jan 2026 - Open Well starts
May 2026 - Andrew & Sayuri attend HM The King's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace
With Trish Fivey, the former Mayor of London Borough of Sutton @Thomas Wall Center in April 2023
With Colin Stear, the former Mayor of Sutton, @Hong Kong Friendship Festival in June 2022
Supporting the Hong Kong community in Sutton to integrate into the life in the UK. The HK Volunteer's Award Ceremony in Dec 2024.
How it all started
In November 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown in the UK, Andrew Ritchie & his family started to collect unsold surplus food from local food stores to save it from going to waste, bring it to home, list it on the OLIO app and redistribute to our neighbours.
This was offered to everyone, but it was particularly appreciated by those who were unable to work, shielding, self-isolating and struggling with financial difficulty. Over 180 families were fed from this private home during the time of unprecedented food insecurity affected by panic buys, empty supermarket shelves and a lack of online delivery options. It was a challenging time for everyone, but without compromising each other's safety, free food was shared and distributed 3-5 times a week from a non-contact Covid secure porch.
This has inspired Andrew and his wife Sayuri to reach wider community and support the vulnerable in the local area. In July 2021, the location moved from a private home to the Thomas Wall Centre (52 Benhill Ave, Sutton SM1 4DP) which is located in the most deprived area of Sutton and also at the heart of Sutton Community.
Sutton Community Project now operates on the weekly basis. It's open to public every Tuesday from 2-6pm. Our friendly volunteer team is there to welcome everyone who collect food boxes. We also provide a safe space in the original Victorian Library where free teas, fresh coffees & cakes are given free and and for visitors to enjoy chatting, meet new people and build friendship.
Since the official launch in July 2021, we've been seeing people coming together, looking after each other, picking up a box for neighbours and helping them to be at a better place themselves emotionally and physically.
Some who were once being helped by others have become helpers at the centre serving regularly and enjoy being a part of this amazing community. Come and visit us, everyone is welcome!
This is where all began; from a kitchen of Andrew & Sayuri's family home during the first national lockdown in 2020. The picture is a common site of unsold surplus food from a local food store in Sutton. Surplus food was distributed on a daily basis via OLIP app from the porch between 2020-2021.
A surprise visit to Andy & Sayuri's house by the Mayor of Merton who kindly donated Easter eggs in spring 2021. The Ritchie family raised money to purchase fresh veg & fruits from International Food Market in London to make up around 60 food boxes to bless the community who are particularly affected by covid-19 pandemic.
Feeding around 180 families from a private home over the period of about 6 months, the location has moved to the Thomas Wall Centre in the heart of Sutton to reach wider community and now feeds around 140-150 families each week. Sutton Community Project was born in July 2021 and has been serving the people of Sutton in the last few years.
Awards & Recognition
Kings Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London
Each summer, His Majesty The King holds a number of Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace, and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Thousands of people from across the country and the commonwealth are invited as a way of rewarding and recognising public service. Guests are invited to spend a relaxed summer afternoon in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace in London. Garden Parties are an important way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people from all walks of life, all of whom have made a positive impact in their community. Invitations are not open to the public, but are granted through nominations from sponsors such as Lord-Lieutenants, charities, and government officials. Individuals who have made a significant, positive impact on their local community often volunteers or charity workers are celebrated on this special occasion. Andrew & Sayuri were invited to attend on Wed 6th May 2026, and privileged to meet and shake hands with the Queen.
The Outstanding Volunteering Group finalist in 2023
Each year, Sutton Community Awards recognise remarkable individuals and groups across Sutton. The awards honour the passion, resilience, and commitment displayed by individuals and groups who go above and beyond to make a difference within their communities.
Sutton Community Project has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Outstanding Volunteering Group 2023.
We are very proud of ALL of our wonderful volunteers for their contributions to make Sutton a better place and selfless service.
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022
Andrew Ritchie, the founder of Sutton Community Project has been selected by Sutton Council and honoured to light the beacon at Cheam Park celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 for her majesty's long and selfless service.
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The Outstanding Community Champion Award 2021
Andrew Ritchie, the founder of Sutton Community Project is the award winner of 'Outstanding Community Champion Award 2021'. This is given to an individual in the London borough of Sutton who has gone above and beyond to help and support vulnerable people and communities - this could be caring through those in need, or someone who organises local community projects or events.
He was also shortlisted and a finalist for 'The Innovator of the Year Award 2021' which recognises an individual, charity or social enterprise that has delivered innovative support or services in the face of challenges presented by COVID-19 on face to face interaction and customer service.
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Sutton’s Community Awards Ceremony 2021
The awards Ceremony was live streamed on Wednesday 23 February 2022 across social media, hosted by comedian and actor Tim Vine.
Over 150 nominations were submitted across ten categories and finalists shared stories about their work in the community via video. The awards were delivered in partnership between Sutton Council, Sutton Housing Partnership, Community Action Sutton and Volunteer Centre Sutton. The nominations were judged by an independent panel of volunteers, children and young people (with chaperones) and members of various resident associations and community groups. The ceremony can be rewatched on the Council's YouTube channel.
Eden Project
Eden Project brings people together and support them to make positive changes where they live. Through Eden Project, we hosted our first Big Lunch in summer 2024 where approximately 200 families gathered at Thomas Wall Centre with a guest speaker Jackie Pullinger MBE from Hong Kong and the Mayor of Sutton. The Big Lunch is the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours and communities, with millions of people coming together for a few hours of friendship, food and fun. It’s a great way to get to know each other better, have a good time and celebrate where you live. SCP gets special feature on Eden's website here.
With the former Mayor of Sutton Colin Stear at The Big Lunch 2024 @Thomas Wall Centre
The Big Lunch in 2024 featurting a special guest speaker Jackie Pullinger MBE from Hong Kong
Over 200 people gathered to celebrate the diversity in Sutton and enjoyed sharing food together.
London Plus - London Lifelines
London Plus connects, supports and advocates for charities and community groups. Their purpose is to enable community groups and charities to make London cohesive and resilient so we can all flourish.
They work hard to support charities and community groups in London by hosting a range of networks for charities and community groups in London, as well as communicating information and insights.
London’s Lifelines are ordinary Londoners doing extraordinary things that keep our city going.
They are London’s volunteers, good neighbours and kind strangers. Their community spirit, generosity and acts of kindness power our capital. Andrew Ritchie, the founder of SCP gets a special feature on the London Lifeline website in 2026.
South West Londoners news
Food bank and cancer centre among Sutton Community Awards winners
'A centre providing holistic treatment for cancer patients and a food bank start-up were among the winners at the Sutton Community Awards on Wednesday night.
The cancer centre Maggie’s won the award for outstanding voluntary organisation of the year while Andrew Ritchie, founder of the Sutton Community Project food bank, took the prize for outstanding community champion.
Ritchie said: “It is a great encouragement, recognising an individual could start, build and continue projects to serve others in our community.”
Ritchie began distributing donations from a supermarket during the first lockdown.
He then saw the need for healthier food to be delivered to those who fell on hard times and decided to approach a local organic grocer and Polish deli for donations.
Explosion in demand meant that what started as a one-man project in his porch ended up becoming an initiative requiring a team of 40 volunteers and a move to the Thomas Wall Centre, from which they now support over 60 families per week.' (Published on: 25th Feb 2022)