A SOCIAL supermarket in Salisbury is appealing for help to increase supplies as demand grows. The Salisbury Pantry offers access to low-cost donated, grant-funded and redistributed food to people finding rising costs difficult to manage as the cost-of-living crisis continues.

Managed by Salisbury City Council’s Communities Team, the shop opened in Catherine Street in April 2021 and for the first six months was providing around 35 to 45 households a week with a low-cost shop. Pantry members pay £5 for their shop and their shop is worth an average of £20 to £30.
Since opening, demand has consistently grown and the pantry manager, communities team and volunteers have worked to find new food sources to keep up with the number of new members.
In September 2022, the Pantry has seen the same sort of increased demand that has been experienced by food projects and food banks nationally, and is now seeing around 90 members shopping per week. However, the Pantry has now been forced to pause new membership, as it seeks to boost food supplies in order to provide enough people with items.

Sarah Gregson, communities manager at the city council, said: “The good news is that we have been able to help support 649 people in the last month, including 283 children.
“It is a privilege to support all those people in balancing the demands on their income and now we need to rise to the real challenge of keeping up with demand.”
The team is now aiming to increase supplies and the number of volunteers to help provide the scheme and has called on Salisbury residents to
step up.

“Your Salisbury Pantry is putting a call out to the residents and businesses to work with us to extend the capacity of the Pantry this winter,” a spokesperson added.
“If you can help us with a food collection or donation in your area or place of work, please get in touch.”
Meanwhile, anyone who would like to join a pool of volunteer drivers, collecting food from across the city, can email salisburypantry@salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk or call
01722 417100.