Do you have a Pantry near you?

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We are struggling to make ends meet at the moment and have found great support with The Pantry Partnership which have 100 sites across the UK. I pay £5 a week and get £25 (on average) worth of goods from them. This can range from tinned goods to fresh fruit and veg to dog and cat food.

Its amazing for making the pennies stretch further, for example tonight we are having potatoes and broccoli from the pantry and we have supplemented with some fish that we got on offer from Aldi for £6. This week we have done three meals almost completely using pantry goods, just adding a bit of cheese or a stock cube or whatever.

They don't advertise as obviously they get very busy especially in certain areas but do check if you are eligible for membership at one near to you. Here they accept child benefit as eligible criteria so many people on this forum would be able to use the service.

Yes, we use the local one weekly, it is very helpful.

My ex Mother-in-law runs one through her local church, and my kids help out in the holidays - for £4 you get to 'shop', and there is a bread/fruit/veg section which are all free, and there is a cafe (yesterday served jacket pots for lunch, aswell as drinks and snacks) for a voluntary donation. They also help people with filling out forms, doing their CV, registering online for services etc. It is such a sad indictment of society that we need places like this, but they provide a valuable service (even just as a warm room in the winter)

No pantry here but there's a community fridge and pantry with no eligibility criteria at all, just take up to 10 items for free. Most of it is short dated from bookers (just down the road) and people are very grateful for their support. I personally am a food bank donor