At a time when many people are reeling under the weight of rising food prices and the challenges of soaring energy costs, The Guardian reported about a pantry in London which is doing its part to provide people with food at affordable costs, while trying to take away the negative association attached to food banks.
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London pantry offering surplus food for cheap
The pantry is located in King’s Cross. It is run with the help of volunteers from the Priory Green estate. Here, people can take home a week’s worth of shopping for only £3.50. The total goods they receive is worth anywhere between £15- £20.
The Guardian quotes a 32-year-old mum and a member of the pantry as saying,
There shouldn’t be any stigma about going to a food bank, but I think some people do feel a sense of shame. Here, it’s more like you are doing a shop and giving back to the community at the same time.
The food in the pantry is donated by surplus food organisations, which collect food which are good quality and perfectly edible.
Cook for Good
The pantry is run by the social enterprise called Cook for Good. As per their website, the main aim of the pantry is to provide weekly shopping at low cost while also helping to limit food waste. They state,
Our surplus food pantry is an easy, low-cost way to top up your shopping. Members pay £3.50 each week, then come in on a Thursday and choose a basket of food worth between £15 and £25.
There is also no dearth of choice with a range of fresh, frozen and storable ingredients being available for shoppers. Visitors can also have a coffee or a bowl of coup and mingle with fellow community members.
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