The pantry is :-

  • A club pooling our money to buy and share food.
  • A way to put to good use food which would otherwise be wasted.
  • A project run by the community for the community.
  • A local community store providing some of the food we need and reducing our grocery bills.

We hold sessions at the Glyncoch Community Centre every Monday afternoon to share out the food. Each member pays a fee of £4. They select what they want from the food that is available that week.

Here is an example of what you might take home

The selection of food varies from week to week but includes frozen, chilled, tinned and fresh fruit and vegetables.

The Community Centre does not make any profit from the scheme – all the money received will be used to pay the running costs. Members of similar schemes report receiving over £20 of food each week significantly reducing their food bills.

To apply to join the scheme come along to the Centre between 1:30pm and 2:15pm on a Monday. Alternatively send a message to our facebook page asking to join. You will be able to start receiving food straight away. We have a facebook group to share news and suggestions about the project.

FAQs

Is it a food bank?

No. The Community Pantry is a membership scheme where for around £4 each week members can visit the Pantry and select items of their own choosing from a wide selection of goods.

Where does the food come from?

The national charity FareShare is one of our main suppliers. FareShare collects surplus stock from the warehouses used by supermarkets and then redistributes it to community groups. The Community Pantry receives a wide range of interesting items each week from FareShare.

Is the food good quality and in-date?

The Community Pantry will never stock food past its sell by date as this could be harmful to health and is against the law. We will, from time to time, stock items that are past their best before date. Best before dates are about quality, not safety. When the date is past, it doesn’t mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

Can anyone become a member?

Yes. Provided that you live in Glyncoch you can become a member.

Who is running the scheme?

The pantry is run by its members and meets its own running costs through the membership fees. Members get the opportunity to learn new skills while helping to run the scheme. We encourage all members to participate in whatever way they can. The start up costs of the project were met by Glyncoch Community Regeneration; they also help with advice and training.