Coventry food pantry says demand for its services has remained high all year
2024 has seen more families struggling to put food on the table across Coventry
The St Giles Midlands Pantry in Coventry says they’ve seen an increase in demand in 2024 as people struggle with the cost of living and rising debts.
The Midlands Pantry runs a programme which provides households with a sustainable route out of food poverty - and saves tonnes of food from landfill.
The programme supports households over a six-month period through cooking workshops and one to one sessions, which aim to promote healthy eating.
Since opening in 2021, the St Giles pantry has helped over 1,000 children in Coventry alongside 560 households.
Hannah Whitely is a community delivery manager at the St Giles Midlands Pantry.
Hannah says the financial pressures on families are leaving many with no alternative: “We've seen a massive increase in the number of people being referred to us and the number of people self-referring too.
“Within the last year or so, everybody who's coming to us is identifying that debts are one of their main concerns and that's putting them in the position that they're currently in.”
With demand rising, the Midlands Pantry will continue to offer support for households in food poverty in 2025.
Hannah said: “We only ever have two clients in at a time, we don't have people queuing up out the door and a lot of the clients say that they appreciate the dignity that that gives them.
“We let them choose their own food rather than providing food parcels.
“People will come, and they'll help themselves to what it is that they want from our delivery that week."
Rayo Premium