Welcome to Rootino CIC
Bringing people together. Creating opportunities. Growing stronger communities.
Rootino CIC is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company created to support people, strengthen communities and create opportunities for everyone to feel included.
Rootino grew from the work of The Baby Bank HQ, which was originally created to support families experiencing financial hardship by providing essential items for babies and children.
Through that work, we quickly saw that families often needed much more than practical support. People needed connection, confidence, friendship, opportunity and a sense of belonging. That experience became the foundation for Rootino.
From The Baby Bank HQ to Rootino
The Baby Bank HQ showed us the power of community support. What started with helping families access essential items grew into conversations, relationships, volunteering opportunities and wider community support.
Rootino was developed to take that ethos further. Today, our aim is to create opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to connect, volunteer, learn new skills, gain work experience and become more involved in their local community.
Community activities and social groups - Supported work experience - SEND opportunities
Volunteering - Gardening and food growing - Hospitality and practical workplace experience
- Wellbeing activities - Community events - Partnership projects with local organisations
At the heart of Rootino is the same principle that inspired The Baby Bank HQ: when communities come together, people can support one another, grow in confidence and create lasting change.
Community starts with connection
Sometimes changing somebody's life does not begin with a complicated programme. It can begin with a conversation over a cup of tea. It can be someone being given their first chance to volunteer, a young person learning a practical skill, an older person finding somewhere to belong, or somebody who has lacked confidence discovering that they are capable of much more than they realised.
Rootino creates spaces and opportunities where those connections can happen naturally.
Creating real opportunities
We particularly want to support people who may find traditional employment, volunteering or community activities difficult to access. Our supported opportunities can include hospitality, customer service, gardening, growing produce, community projects, retail and practical workplace skills.
We work inclusively and recognise that people develop at different speeds and may need different levels of support. For young people and adults with SEND or additional needs, our aim is to provide meaningful experiences where people can build confidence, independence and transferable skills in real community environments.
Growing together
Nature and growing are also an important part of the Rootino vision. Through allotment and outdoor projects, people can learn how to grow fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers while developing practical skills and working alongside others. Produce can then be used within community projects and local hospitality settings, connecting growing, learning, enterprise and community.
A place for every generation
Rootino is proudly intergenerational. We want children, young people, adults and older people to have opportunities to share the same community spaces rather than always being separated into different services. Different generations have different experiences, knowledge and skills to offer. By bringing people together, we can help reduce isolation, strengthen understanding and create a stronger sense of belonging.
A not-for-profit organisation with community at its heart
As a Community Interest Company, Rootino exists for community benefit. Any income we generate helps us continue developing activities, opportunities and projects that benefit the people and communities we serve. Our aim is not simply to deliver services. It is to create a community where people can belong, contribute and grow.
Get Involved
- Local residents
- Volunteers
- Schools and colleges
- SEND provisions
- Families
- Community organisations
- Local businesses and employers
- Referral organisations
Funders and partners
Telephone: 07411943095
Email: hello@rootino.org
Whether you would like to take part, volunteer, refer someone, offer an opportunity or work in partnership with us, we would love to hear from you.
