More than 200 households using Salisbury Pantry
A social supermarket in Salisbury is seeing growing numbers of users
Your Salisbury Pantry began operating from Catherine Street in April and now provides groceries to nearly 200 households struggling to balance their bills.
Organised by Salisbury City Council's Communities Team it's part of a Church Action on Poverty franchise called "My Local Pantry."
Members pay £5 for a weekly shop and are able to take home up to £30 of store cupboard and fresh foods.
It uses redistributed foods that would otherwise go to waste through donations from Fareshare and a range of local supermarkets.
Growing numbers are putting pressure on running costs though.
The team behind it are now appealing for people to consider becoming a friend of the project and making a financial donation, either as a one of a regularly.
Sarah Gregson who is the Communities Manager for Salisbury City Council said,
“We wish that this project wasn’t needed in Salisbury, but it is. We don’t want to celebrate our existence but we do want to ensure we can stay open for the people who needs us, for as long as they do. As our project grows, so do the costs and, while we have set the shop up without looking for any donations from private citizens, now is the time to ask, could you be our friend?”
Anyone can become a friend of ‘Your Salisbury Pantry’ by visiting the local pantry website and clicking on “Be a Friend of Your Local Pantry”. Don’t forget to select ‘Salisbury Pantry’ from the drop down list. Your donation, one off or regular, could help us to fill gaps in our stock of essential items, cover our volunteer’s expenses and keep our fridges and freezers running!
Meanwhile Salisbury's Mayor and Deputy Mayor have recently spent time volunteering at the project. to better understand what it takes to run the pantry and meet some of our members.
Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Caroline Corbin said,
“It's more than a shop, it’s a place where connections are made on a personal level. This is important for helping to balance budgets but also for people’s mental health, which I am incredibly passionate about.”
Deputy Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Tom Corbin said,
“I think this project will grow. We don’t want there to be a need for this provision but if people are benefitting from this space in many ways then it is essential we get behind it.”
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