By Isle of Wight Observer
The Island’s community pantries have had their funding reinstated – for another year.
The revised decision has secured £295,000 in funding for the Island’s community pantries, a move welcomed by those who rely on them, following a recommendation by the IW Council’s scrutiny committee of the original plan.
As previously reported, concerns were raised by the scrutiny committee about a 46 per cent cut to pantry funding, especially as government funding had only dropped by 12 per cent. The committee questioned the decision, prompting a reassessment by cabinet member, Cllr Debbie Andre. She originally said that the funding for community pantries had clearly been for a single year, and it had been made clear that alternative funding sources needed to be identified.
Jane Allchorn, of Community Spirited, East Cowes, said: “This will help us to help others for a longer length of time. “I think we would have closed eventually as we would not be able to run the pantry the same way. But the anxiety it has caused has rocked all the Island pantries.
“We were expecting a cut because the council received 12 per cent less, but such a big cut made us feel very undervalued; we work so hard for the community. Now we will continue to be there for and reach out to people who are at their lowest point.”
Monique Gallop, a co-ordinator at Cowes Community Pantry, said, of the original decision: “It would be huge. Between all the pantries, I’d say we have at least 300 people visit a week… that’s going to be at least a minimum of probably 900 people a week that survive off the food from the pantries. It would have had a dramatic effect.”
A council spokesman confirmed that, alongside this funding boost, an independently grant-funded project will also help the pantries explore options to find funds to ensure they could be self-sufficient in the future.
The community pantry schemes are open to anybody and for £5 a week you can select over £15 worth of fresh, frozen, tinned and dry food.
You do not need to be on benefits and can join by completing a short form. You can go to any pantry; there is no need to use the nearest to you.
