Dear friends and supporters of the West Somerset Food Cupboard,
Thank you for supporting the West Somerset Food Cupboard by donating food items for local distribution.
If we could request the following items that are most needed, we would be very grateful.
- Tins of vegetables-peas, carrots, sweetcorn
- Pasta/Curry Sauce/stir in pasta sauce
- Tinned Meat & Fish – Corned beef, ham, tuna
- Squash bottles/Fruit Juice cartons
- Savoury Crackers/Bread sticks/Rice cakes
- Tinned Potatoes & Instant Mash Sachets
- Rice Pudding/Custard/Individual Puddings
- Tinned Tomatoes
- Biscuits & Crisps
- UHT Milk 1 litre
- Rice
- Sugar Jam/Pickles and Chutneys
No fresh, chilled, frozen, damaged, out-of-date or home-made items please!
We try and include items in our packs that will allow people that may find themselves homeless or in temporary accommodation the opportunity to have as varied a diet as possible.
Thank you as always, nothing ever gets wasted. If you can offer some alternative diet items that would also be great. We have suddenly had a demand for gluten free and dairy free produce, and we are currently supporting a number of families with these requirements.
Items can be dropped on at one of numerous drop off locations…
If you ever are unsure what you would like to donate or feel unsure that what you are donating is useful, we are always grateful for monetary donations too which is another way that you could help. You can be sure that the money will go towards projects that will offer further food support to the community.
We have had another busy month at the Food Cupboard with demand remaining high, which is understandable with the current financial climate. People really are struggling to stretch their budgets to meet all the demands of housing costs and general living costs. Food prices are significantly high and even what we call the staple foods like milk and sugar have seen dramatic price increases. Households are struggling to put a meal on the table, let alone try to provide a healthy choice of food.
The rising cost of food is also impacting our level of donations. We’re seeing a noticeable decline, as many people are finding it harder to add a few extra items to their shopping to support us. Combined with the growing demand for our services, these are challenging times for food banks.
At The Pantry, we’ve always worked hard to ensure our members have access to a healthy selection of meat, eggs, cheese, vegetables, dairy products, rice, and pasta. We source this primarily by purchasing surplus food from large supermarkets—food that would otherwise go to waste—alongside invaluable local donations of eggs, bread, and organic vegetables.
As demand for surplus food has increased significantly with the rise in food charities, our local supplies have become even more crucial. Without this support, we wouldn’t be able to provide weekly food parcels to 40 families in need.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who continues to contribute—whether through food donations or financial support. Every single act of generosity truly makes a difference in helping us support our local community.
Please keep spreading the word about the work we do. This is a vital service, and we rely on the strength of community support to keep it going.
