Pantry continues to offer lifeline to Walsall community

The Pleck Pantry is run by employment support specialists Steps To Work and is part of the food membership club Your Local Pantry, based in the Pleck area of Walsall and offering residents the opportunity to purchase highly discounted food items and hygiene products.

Opened in November 2022, the pantry has become a vital place for people struggling to feed themselves and the families during the cost of living crisis, as well as a place for people to come together, socialise and meet new people.

Michelle Bennett, the community impact officer at Steps To Work, said the pantry, which has a £5 per week membership and opens every Wednesday between 11am and 3pm, was the best way of supporting the public after hearing about the stories of some of the people attending sessions.

She said: "We could see the financial crisis that was coming and felt this was the best way to support people with the cost of shopping and the ever-increasing bills that were coming.

"There were a lot of cases where we were meeting people who were attending different sessions and that hadn't eaten for days, nor had their children, so we set this up to try and support people with more affordable food to help them with bills."

Ms Bennett said it was a shame in one respect that it was as busy as it was, but said the fact that it was busy meant it was helping people and said the people coming in really appreciated the service being offered.

She said: "It shows that it's been very much needed by people and I've spoken to a lot of people about their stories, with one woman saying that by picking up a few boxes of cereal, she can now go home and feed her children.

"It's heartbreaking to hear that sort of story, but that's the reality of what we are dealing with at the moment.

"The people we get in are very diverse as well, as we've got single parents, parents with large families, people who live on their own and are struggling and people who working, but struggling to get by.

"I do think it's shocking that, in this day and age, people are having to choose between heating and eating and there should be enough to go around, but I'm just really glad we can try and support in some way."

Pleck Pantry currently relies on donations from the public and local supermarkets, in addition to grant funding, but is looking for support from corporate organisations to ensure the pantry can sustain its offering.

Businesses in the area can support the community hub via Give Today by offering food and hygiene donations or providing financial sponsorship that will help with its day to day running.

Bhanu Dhir, chief executive officer at Steps To Work, said: "Since opening in December 2022, the community hub has played a vital role in supplying essentials to locals who are struggling with the current cost of weekly food shopping.

"It has also become a space for residents to come together, socialise and meet new people.

"We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us so far in being able to provide this crucial service, however, due to the current spike in demand, we are now asking for further support to help us continue providing vulnerable members of society with affordable food shopping.

"If you are a corporate organisation who wants to give back and make a valuable difference to our community, we urge you to get in touch with us today."

To find out more about Pleck Pantry, go to yourlocalpantry.co.uk/pantry-listings/walsall-pleck-pantry-steps-to-work