A COMMUNITY food pantry saw a third of the average number of monthly users within one week of October.
The Community Food Pantry, at Unit 12 in Winnall, had just under 100 people using the pantry within the first week of October as the cost-of-living crisis continues and the colder weather draws in.
An average month sees approximately 270 to 300 members using the pantry in Winnall Valley Road. Starting from nothing in 2021, the food hub now has roughly 780 members, with around 70 to 80 users per week. But based on October figures this looks set to soar.
Unit 12's community outreach programme aims to support families manage and budget their food shop, providing around a £15 shop of fresh, frozen and general foods for £5.
Unlike food banks such as Winchester Basics Bank, there are no criteria of the economic circumstance for users meaning anyone can use the hub to help make ends meet.
After a career in various jobs such as cleaning and caretaking, Elaine Chapman opened the pantry with Unit 12 in the height of the pandemic in January 2021 with a desire to help people in need.
She said: “My drive to start up the pantry was knowing there was a need and a hell of a lot of food waste that could be re-homed as well as knowing you can help people in their greatest hour of need.
“This is what I committed to and what I said I would do and so I’m going to keep seeing it through. We’ll find a way to keep up with demand. There’s still plenty of people who can donate.”
As energy bills continue to rise, Elaine said there will need to be a discussion with the managers of the community and arts venue.
The pantry organiser added: “I don’t worry about things like that because I know something will always turn up, I have faith.”
Volunteer director at Unit 12, Cllr John Tippett-Cooper, said: “Unit 12’s community food pantry is getting busier and busier, but we have an amazing team running it and we want people from all over the District to use us to help with their food budgeting over the next few increasingly difficult months.
"Like everywhere else, high energy costs are having an impact on Unit 12’s budget, as well as the budgets of our family of community organisations who we host at Unit 12, and we will continue to be looking for support help from the community in the form of donations of time and money so we can keep delivering support to hundreds of households through the food pantry and Unit 12’s other initiatives."
The community centre is entirely responsible for the costs of the pantry and is determined to ensure it can continue running and helping households.
Members of the food pantry find comfort in the humour and approachability of the volunteers. Currently, there are 15 active volunteers, alongside pantry managers Elaine and Lara, with at least two people working a shift to sign in customers, manage the queue, help with queries and sort stock.
Volunteer Liz said: “It’s been really busy lately but it’s good fun because the shift goes quickly.
“You start talking about random things and then people join in and feel at ease.”
Elaine added: “It helps because people in the queue can start to feel quite anxious or volatile and we need a sense of future to get through what we’re doing.”
Members are allowed to use the food pantry once a week, for which they can get ten red items like cereal and other staples and two blue items such as frozen meat or a meal deal. Pantry users also have access to the free section including bakery treats, bread, books and flowers.
On Christmas Eve, volunteers from the pantry will be scouring the local supermarkets before they close to collect surplus festive food. On the evening of December 24, for £2 a slot (to be booked in advance) people can then get their Christmas shop from Unit 12.
The pantry manager is encouraging people to donate food rather than money, with the option to make an online delivery or donate in person. For more go to unit-12.org/community-food-pantry or contact Elaine at cfp@unit-12.com.
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