Food banks keep caring, so please keep donating
People are skipping meals to pay for soaring energy bills, so food donations are needed more than ever.

DEMAND FOR ASSISTANCE at food banks, community fridges, and social supermarkets across the Blackmore Vale is increasing according to Help and Kindness, a charity resource that offers information to residents across the Dorset community.
Rising food costs, fuel prices, and utility bills are putting a huge amount of pressure on everyday living, with many people skipping meals because they won’t have enough money to pay their bills. If you are facing difficult choices, visit https://www.helpandkindness.co.uk/food-projects or call 01305 595958 (linked with Dorset Community Response, DCR) for advice, and a list of community food projects.

Warm and inviting
One such project is The Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton, a warm and sociable ‘social supermarket’ run by organiser Carole Jones. Set up in 2020, The Vale Pantry is run entirely by volunteers, with the mission to provide food, resources, and services to any individual or family facing food insecurity.
“It’s an absolute challenge at the moment,” says Carole, “and I fear for what October might bring when the energy cap increases. We currently help 291 families, comprising 503 adults and 369 children, with three new applications right now.
“We value the dignity of all individuals and work to promote their independence,” says Carole. “Last Friday I received a call from a 78-year-old lady in tears. She had to put her basket down and walk away at she supermarket as she simply didn’t have the money to pay for the food she needed.
“Our strategy now is to encourage those who need our help to volunteer with us and feel part of a team. This helps the mental health of many of these people: they feel that they have a purpose, feel needed, and are valued. We could not do anything without our amazing team of volunteers.”

The social supermarket
“A food bank model generally has no fresh foods, or choice in foods, and only provides three boxes in six months and someone needs to be referred by an outside agency.
“The Vale Pantry offers membership to anyone who struggles financially and has had to cut back on food to try to make ends meet. Members of the Pantry may visit once a week and pay £6 on each visit, and choose the food in their basket. This makes The Vale Pantry quite unique. The variety of foods available includes fresh fruit and veg, chilled and frozen produce, including meats, fish, and cheese, as well as store cupboard essentials. We believe there is dignity in making a contribution, and in being able to choose their own foods – thereby getting the food they (and their family) will eat!
“There is no doubt, the social supermarket model is a sustainable way out of the crisis, and people value the fresh foods. For many the weekly trip in to see us is their social outing of the week. The Pantry is a place full of fun, and laughter, and it’s a place where often great things happen!”
“We work like demons,” says Carole, “asking anyone and everyone who can help us to do so. Not a day goes by when I don’t look for the latest updates on funding opportunities. We need to raise at least £150,000 per year to do what we do – it’s now costing us £3k a week on food. Contrary to perception, we have to buy pretty much everything!”
To become a member visit www.yourlocalpantry.co.uk, call 07968 348481, or email: info@valepantry.co.uk.
Open Thursday: 8am-6pm, Saturday: 8.30am-12noon