Working together to launch a new
London food pantry

Together with Southern Housing Group and Clarion Futures we welcomed customers, local politicians and community leaders to the launch event. As well as a tour of the new facility, guests also enjoyed a cooking demonstration alongside refreshments donated by local businesses.

Speaking at the event, Kensington and Chelsea Council deputy leader Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith said: “The St Giles Food Pantry is a tremendous idea and it is brilliant to see projects like this in action, supporting our communities and bringing people closer together.

This initiative also tackles the issue of wasted food, which is something the council is incredibly supportive of.”

In the UK, 1.9 million tonnes of food is wasted annually by the food industry. FareShare is helping to combat this by supplying food from local shops and supermarkets to the new St Giles Food Pantry. Paul Roberts, Director of Social Investment and Corporate Social Responsibility for Guinness spoke at the event: “We’re delighted to support this community initiative and to work together with our partners. This is the 5th food pantry that Guinness has been involved with, as we continue to undertake projects to ease hardship and support inclusive communities.”

The new project has been made possible through a close partnership between the housing associations, as well as a contribution of £15,000 from construction firm, Wates Group. Wates work closely with a number of housing associations, including Guinness and Southern Housing. Wates were able to help transform the unused building into a fully equipped pantry with an outside garden area, which will now provide residents with a community space in which they can meet for a cup of tea or coffee, helping to combat social isolation and strengthen community ties within the area.

Find out how our Aspire Awards helped fund a similar food pantry in Sheffield.