The Pantry@BRAG was initially started in response to the Covid 19 Pandemic 4 years ago, in that time we have come a very long way, we currently have over 300 members. The Pantry started providing free food for our local community and now we have a renovated space which houses a functioning shop and social space. The Pantry@BRAG continues to provide our local community with access to local, affordable (£3.00 per week) and healthy food options, whilst reducing food waste. We have an average of 75 people coming through our doors each week, supporting a total of 220 people with food each week. We see a regular increase in demand for Pantry membership and the team work tirelessly to ensure that everyone can access the Pantry whilst maintaining stock levels to ensure that there is enough food available.
‘The Mary Pit’ Stop is the heart of the community on a Thursday during Pantry, members can meet for a tea/coffee, putting funds back into the Pantry and providing opportunities for social interaction, making new friends, creating support networks and increasing social and emotional wellbeing. The team also have a clothes rail stocked with new and used items and they can be themed depending on the time of year, back to school, Christmas etc. We do still operate a delivery service to our more elderly and vulnerable members.
The Pantry team are always thinking of new ways to raise funds, everyone loves getting involved in Boombox Bingo, raffles and Bingo wingo and all funds raised are put directly back into the Pantry to purchase food.
In the last year we have;
- Diverted 29,075KG of food from landfill and used it to feed our local community instead
- Provided food and supported 11,072 individuals (8,059 Adults and 3,013 Children)
- 15 Volunteers regularly involved in the Pantry over the last year
- Over 1,666 Volunteer hours involved in the delivery of the Pantry over the last year
