Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s Mayor has praised a team of volunteers running a community service that provides low-cost surplus food to local families.
Mayor Lesley Millard has visited the team at the Highbridge and Burnham-On-Sea Local Pantry, which is used by over 50 families every week. It aims to reduce the amount of local food waste and help those in most need.
The project is being run by volunteers at Highbridge’s Morland Community Hub and Burnham Baptist Church, working in partnership with food charity FareShare South West.
The Mayor told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “In these difficult economic times when some people are struggling with the cost of living, this is an important service. I thank the team for their absolutely wonderful work.”
The group offers a membership scheme to local residents at a weekly cost of £3.50 which provides a selection of 10-15 food products each week to save perfectly good food from going to waste while also saving families money on food bills.
Helen Phillips, project manager for the Local Pantry, says: “Our service aims to reduce the amount of local surplus food being wasted, it also helps address climate change, and it reduces the amount of waste going to landfill sites.”
Morland Community Hub’s Roger Keen, who is the team lead for the pantry project, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The service has got off to a busy start, with 50 local families being helped with food every week.”
Helen adds: “The service provides a selection of food items costing just £3.50 a week for local residents. So, for those whose budget is a tight, or for people who just want to make their money go as far as possible, this is really great. It is available to anyone who lives within a 15-minute catchment area.”
“Each food box varies and contains a mix of fresh, chilled and ambient – tinned or dry – products. The food varies each week, but there are normally 10-15 items and the value of the food also varies but is generally worth between £15-£25 and can be higher.”
The opening hours of the Local Pantry are Fridays, 1pm-3pm at the Morland Community Hub in Highbridge’s Pearce Drive (TA9 3FU). Donations of home grown produce such as veg are welcome. The pantry is also funded by Somerset County Council and supported by Sedgemoor District Council.
