Could you support Your Salisbury Pantry?

Wednesday, 4 August 2021 01:00

Salisbury City Council’s Communities Team are seeking support for Your Salisbury Pantry.

Your Salisbury Pantry is a social supermarket at 59 Catherine Street which has been operating since the 20th April 2021.

The scheme is part of a web of projects across the city working hard to eradicate food poverty and redistribute foods that would otherwise go to waste through donations from Fareshare and a range of local supermarkets.

The Pantry offers a membership scheme to residents of Salisbury who are on benefits or have a low income. Since the membership became available, nearly 200 households have signed up. Members pay just £5 for their shop each week and can take home between £20 and £30 of non-perishable and fresh food.

Cllr Caroline Corbin, Mayor of Salisbury and Cllr Tom Corbin, Deputy Mayor, became part of the small team of volunteers on 3rd August 2021, to better understand what it takes to run the pantry and meet some of our members.

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 commented, “I think this project will grow. We don’t want there to be a need for this provision but if people are benefiting from this space in many ways then it is essential we get behind it.”

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 want to ensure we can stay open for the people who need us, for as long as they do.

“As our project grows, so do the costs. 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?”

Donations could help Your Salisbury Pantry to replenish essential stock, cover volunteer’s expenses, or keep our fridges and freezers running.

To become a friend of Your Salisbury Pantry click here.