Pub landlady to open weekly Northampton food bank after discovering high demand during lockdown

A landlady who runs a popular local pub and has gone above and beyond for her community during the pandemic is now launching a weekly food bank.

Teresa McCarthy-Dixon runs the Swan and Helmet in Grove Road and while the pub was shut during lockdown she complied and delivered food packages and hot meals, as well as hosting a temporary food bank.As lockdown has eased, The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation was created and became a registered charity, adapting the services it provides to what the community needs.

The foundation facilitates free healthy cookery lessons, affordable hair cuts and meet-ups to aid companionship, as well completing transformations on more than 50 gardens and some homes.Now Teresa and her team of voluntary helpers are launching a weekly food bank where she hopes members of the community will be able to pick up branded items they would normally choose in a mainstream supermarket.

The landlady, who has been in charge of the pub for 14 years, said: “The food packages have been a lifeline for so many families during the pandemic.

“While we were doing the food bank during lockdown we quickly realised there was a huge need for one in the community.

“When we were allowed to, we wanted to come back as a pub but I felt it was my responsibility to provide for the community.”

Every Wednesday a section of the pub will be operate in the afternoon as a food bank, where anyone can visit to buy affordable products.

Teresa sources most of her food from FareShare, a national charitable food redistributor, at a reduced price and currently has more than 80 items available, including cereals, soups, jars of sauce, tuna, tinned vegetables and much more, many of which are big name, branded products.

For £5 customers will be able to pick any eight items and for £10 they can get 16 items. The money raised will help to keep the food bank stocked up.

Teresa added: “Unfortunately we have seen that the food bank is really needed and we would like to provide that service for as long as it’s needed.

“We want to provide a service as cheaply and affordable as we can for normal families, for people who are furloughed and for those who might be made redundant.

“I want people to experience what they would normally buy with a wide variety of choice and for them to think ‘next week I will get this’.

“I want it to be like a farm shop experience, but cheap as I don’t want people to be embarrassed and that’s why I wanted brands too.

“A lot of the foods work together to make a meal and there’s something for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Anyone can come and they don’t have to make a commitment, they can just come when and if they need to, no questions asked. It’s a pop in, pop out service.”

After seeing the high demand for help throughout lockdown, Teresa is expecting the weekly food bank to take off and is prepared to open on extra days if the need arises.

The food bank at the Swan and Helmet pub will be open from 4pm until 7pm every Wednesday, starting tomorrow (September 9).

Anyone is welcome, as booking is not necessary, but customers may have to wait their turn as only one person will be allowed in at a time to allow for social distancing.

To find out how you can support the food bank and Teresa’s foundation, search 'McCarthy-Dixon Foundation' on Facebook.

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