[Press Release]

St Giles unveiled its latest Pantry in Islington, North London, yesterday (28 February) as national figures show that households are continuing to feel the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis.  

Figures released this week from The Food Foundation have shown that families have cut back on their consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables as a way of making ends meet.   

Our Pantry network aims to help alleviate these inequalities by providing Pantry users with access to affordable, wholesome surplus food which would otherwise have ended up in landfill.  Whilst doing their shop at the Pantry, people also benefit from advice and guidance services from on-hand staff who help address the underlying issues trapping people in poverty.  

The Islington Pantry is working in close collaboration with Hillside Clubhouse (in whose premises it is based), Southern Housing and Hyde Housing. The borough is an area experiencing extremes of both rich and poor with over 47% of the Islington children deemed to be living in poverty and 19,000 people in the borough experiencing high levels of food insecurity.  

In collaboration with the partners, the Islington Pantry will work with people from the local community who are experiencing hardship to ensure they and their families are properly fed and are supported to progress towards stability and independence.  

Danny Chapman, Director of London Services at St Giles, said:  

“We are in tough economic times, but we believe everyone should be able to access wholesome, affordable food for themselves and their families. Hunger and poverty are barriers to progress – worrying about where the next meal is coming from prevents individuals and families from moving forwards.  Our Pantries remove these barriers by giving people who need it access to nutritious food which would otherwise have ended up in landfill. 90% of people using our London Pantries say it has helped them access fresh fruit and vegetables.  

He continued:  

“It is only down to the support and commitment of our partners – who share our vision in ensuring everyone is supported and nourished during these tough economic times – that we are able to expand our Pantry network and ensure more people in poverty get the support they need.”