KIND-HEARTED staff at a Bromsgrove care home have teamed up with the community to provide food security to local people.
While visiting St Bart’s Pantry at Allens Cross Community Centre, the caring team from Cofton Park Manor on Lickey Road, donated useful items to the pantry.
Care home staff, Wendy Sibley and Gail Bessant are keen to reach out to the community and organisations that need the most support.
Therefore, they spent the day at the pantry packing goods and supporting the volunteers in organising the food.
Wendy, community relations lead at Cofton Park Manor, said: “As well as donating some toiletries, we were able to help sort deliveries and shopping items, ready for the pantry to open.
“The volunteers are true angels who go above and beyond to help people in need and do so much to help people in the community.
“Gail and I were blown away by their kindness and think they are amazing people who are happy to give up their time to help others. It was such a pleasure to help the Local Pantry.”
The pantry is part of a nationwide network of more than 100 food pantries, the first of which was established ten years ago.
Local residents can be members, and each pay a small amount of money every week and, in return have access to many items of groceries worth more.
The pantries are set up like shops, and they are run by local organisations, often inside community centres, charities and churches.
Gail, the wellbeing coach at Cofton Park Manor, said: “We were so impressed with the impact the Local Pantry has on our community.
“They provide a wonderful store for local people, which can make all the difference to people’s lives, especially when we face a cost-of-living crisis right now.”
During their visit, the Cofton Park Manor team met Teresa Hussey and Sue Catchpole who have been volunteers at St Bart’s Pantry since it opened in March 2022.
