Stories from the community

A food lifeline for residents in Kent

In Kemsley, Kent, residents have access to low-cost food through a weekly pantry run by Kent charity, Children and Families. Food is provided by FareShare - a charity set set up to help divert supermarket surplus from landfill and distribute to charities across the country. 

The pantry works on a subscription basis. Single people pay £17 per month for up to 10 products each week. Families pay £34 per month for up to 20 products each week. Food ranges from an assortment of fruit and vegetables to bread, pasta, soup and much more. 

Dedicated volunteers help run the pantry each week - many of whom are Southern Housing residents themselves. 

It saves me an absolute fortune on my weekly food bills. It means that I can afford fruit and vegetables - especially as fruit is so expensive today. It really helps out and means I'm eating a lot more fruit and veg. With the cost of living going up, it's an absolute lifesaver for me, I can manage to get to the end of the month without worrying about when payday is coming.

Boosting skills and reducing isolation in London 

In Penge, London, residents at Servite House Independent Living Scheme have been learning new skills and meeting new people with a digital upskilling course run by our sister charity Fresh Visions. Participants can build confidence with digital devices - learning how to shop safely online and make contact with family and friends as well as how to identify a scam. At the end of the course, participants are gifted a laptop to keep. 

It's a really great opportunity for residents to learn and build their confidence with digital devices. It's also a chance to meet each other, and make friends. Isolation can be a real issue in old age. Having the opportunity to come and speak to their neighbours really boosts confidence and reduces isolation and loneliness.

Further information

• Food pantries
• Local projects and activities
• Back to Community Projects, Wellbeing and Support