How can I get help with food?
- Food pantries provide access to healthy food at a lower cost than supermarkets and shops
- For around £3 – £6 you can become a member of a food pantry
- You can choose food to the value of £20 to £25 for your membership fee of £3 – £6
- You can use food pantries weekly, monthly or one off – whichever suits your needs
- Pantries have a second aim of tackling food waste, using partners such as FareShare which ensures food surplus from supermarkets and businesses are redistributed
- Anyone can access their local community pantry - you just need to sign up to become a member
- To find your nearest food pantry, visit https://www.yourlocalpantry.co.uk and add your postcode at the bottom
- Foodbanks are community organisations that can help in times of crisis
- Some food banks offer delivery services if you can't access a food pantry
- Food bank cater for a range of dietary requirements, such as vegan and vegetarian
- The Trussell Trust is one of the main providers of food banks. If you are referred to a Trussell Trust foodbank, you can see where your nearest food bank is by searching using your postcode
- You can't make a foodbank referral yourself, it needs to be from us or through a professional agency
- You can reach out to us via live chat for a referral, or alternatively contact your local council or Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133
- Some food banks may not require a referral, such as those run by a church
- Contact your local food bank to see if you need a referral here
Many foodbanks only take referrals from housing associations, GP, churches/mosques or other services to ensure that the food bank is only used by the people who need the support.
