Times are difficult.
How we support each other now can be the basis of a stronger community to manage the problems we will need to face in the future.
The consequence of Covid and the economic downturn has disproportionately effected our community as with all others. Food and energy poverty is now effecting many millions of households and that includes Tattenhall.
Whilst we do not know how many people might be facing food and fuel poverty locally, we believe there is a gap in this provision for some individuals or families to gain access to local supplies of emergency food help. Access to food bank supplies require a trip to Chester.
As part of our work to strengthen the wider village community we have partnered with Morton’s Spar, Saint Alban’s Church, The Park School, the Flacca Sports Club, the Allotment Association and Sandy Bears Nursery to establish access to emergency food supplies in the form of a Free Pantry.
Food Supplies – Tom Morton and staff at the Spar are supplying regular surplus and end of sale date items to stock the Pantry each week. Additionally we now have an account that we are using to supplement his supply with necessary staples to ensure there is a range of fresh and frozen foods.
Whilst direct donation of items is welcome we have to have a method of receiving them rather than putting items directly into the pantry to ensure that the safe and hygienic care of the Pantry meets the necessary Food Safety requirements.
We provide a sealed foodstuff storage box at the side for goods not requiring the fridge of freezer immediately where donations can be left. This will be emptied checked and placed in the Pantry at the end of each day. As we are specifically a limited local Free Pantry and not a Food Bank we are trying to focus on specific items that are of most immediate use to those needing the Pantry. We also have limited space so we are hoping to focus bought items on specifics.
We currently finance our supplementing through cash donations having received £300+ in these first weeks. If you wish to make a regular or one-off cash donation to the Pantry fund then please contact Free Pantry at transition.tattenhall@gmail.com or ring Nick on 07899994875
Fresh Grown fruit and vegetables – we do hope that gardens and allotments will be producing enough fresh fruits and vegetables to have surpluses and we are keen to provide enough facilities at the pantry to receive home grown donations.
Plans – We are planning to add an additional cupboard for toiletries and cleaning materials but will hope to do this when we are clear about the level of need.
Volunteers and feedback – If you have any views, ideas or suggestions; or if you have time and interest in helping maintain the Pantry, we will always need volunteers to make the pantry sustainable so call if you are interested. Every bit of help is good!
If you know of anyone needing this support please let them know that the FREE PANTRY is located in the yard behind the Sports Club. It has been open for use from 10am on Friday 15th March.
ANY QUERIES Text: 07826954441
Donations – contact: Free Pantry transitiontattenhall@gmail.com