THE Vale Pantry – a charity helping hundreds of families in need each year – has revealed details of an ambitious new plan to expand.

The group, which provides food and support to families across Dorset, has unveiled a bid to move from its current premises, in Market Place, Sturminster Newton, to a unit on the Butts Pond Industrial Estate.

Founder, Carole Jones, said the idea was in response to the growing needs of the pantry – which is currently helping more than 370 families.

Speaking about the current premises, she said: “There’s no room to have a quiet conversation, deal with a crisis situation, to sort something out on a one-to-one basis – it’s just really difficult.”

The Vale Pantry premises in Market Place, Sturminster Newton, are too small

The ambitious plans include a raft of new support services and facilities.

A toddler play area, cafe-style offering and a cookery education area could all be developed, opening six days a week.

“We will build a cookery education area where we can do some hands-on cookery for adults and some children’s cookery workshops,” Carole said.

“We will then have a cafe-style area where our families can sit down, talk, and get the help they need, or for those who are socially-anxious, or isolated, to just sit and chat.

“We think that’s quite exciting.”

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The new venue would also see the charity open a breakfast club, offering food to young people on their way to school, and a homework corner for those on their way home in the afternoon.

Carole said she has been on a ‘fundraising mission’ to make the plans a reality, and has urged the community to get behind the scheme – which will cost around £85,000.

The Vale Pantry wants to move on to the Butts Pond Industrial Estate in Sturminster Newton. Picture: Google

“Those are our plans, our hopes, our dreams,” she said. “It’s what the community needs. 370-plus families (we are helping), we are literally at breaking point here.”

Now, Carole and the Vale Pantry team are keen to hear from anyone who can help with their fundraising effort.

For more information – and to get in touch regarding donations – log on to www.valepantry.co.uk.

You can also find the Vale Pantry on Facebook at facebook.com/TheValePantry.