'We’re open to everyone to prevent stigma' - How Northamptonshire food larder is helping residents in the run up to Christmas

Towcester Community Larder is waging a battle on two fronts against food waste and food poverty, offering a shopping experience like no other for some and an important safety net for others. The larder, which first opened its doors in 2021, welcomes around 250 people through its door a week, with another 100 people using its sister service in Roade.

The Community Larder’s operations manager, Katie Steele, said that the distinction between the larder and a normal foodbank was really important, with the latter being used for crisis and relying on donations rather than consistent support offered to all.

“We’re open to everyone to prevent any stigma with accessing food support. We like to provide a sustainable provision that’s open all year around and people can rely on that food supply and get fresh food within it as well.

“We’ve seen a real increase in the last six months of people accessing us, but also people asking for subsidised support. Especially at Christmas, people are obviously trying to afford presents for children and cover all the bills so food is a real difficulty in a lot of households.”

Run under the South Northants Volunteer Bureau (SNVB), the larder relies on a membership model where people can pay a £10 yearly subscription and then pay as little as £5 for a full weekly shop. It partners with local businesses to receive surplus food for lower prices and offers fruit and vegetables for free to put an emphasis on healthy eating.

Stacked shelves of tins and store cupboard food are provided through the Household Support Fund, funded by West Northamptonshire Council, which aims to support people struggling with the cost of living.

Katie added: “The household support fund has been an amazing support for us to make sure that we can give all round food provision of fresh, frozen, store cupboard food. We really hope it will be picked up again because more and more people are accessing and need food support. We’re in supposedly an affluent area, however we’re finding that that isn’t the case.

“There are referrals from schools, police, domestic violence charities, councils of people that are all local to us that we support. If that household support fund wasn’t there they would have to find that support elsewhere and it would put pressure on the foodbank network which would not give fresh food or a sustainable provision to people.”

Across both sites, the larders have more than 100 volunteers who help to pick up and organise food deliveries, stock shelves and be a friendly face for the community. The larder is open in the Riverside Resource Centre on Wednesday evenings from 4.15pm to 7pm, Thursday mornings from 10am to 11.15am and has a ‘larder leftovers’ session on Fridays at 2.30pm.

Volunteer Margaret Scott said she had been helping out at the larder for four years: “I wanted to give something back. The need is there- it’s just the case of us being there to provide it.

“People can choose themselves rather than what the foodbank can give them. If we weren’t here a lot of people would be struggling very badly and there isn’t another facility, I don’t think, like it.”

Taking a break from their shopping, one person told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I come most weeks. I do it mainly so it doesn’t get wasted and it reduces the price massively. I queue every week and it’s always really busy, so I think it’s brilliant for the community.”

Another local resident who uses the larder on a weekly basis said it lets them stretch out their money further and “helps tremendously”.

“Anything that takes a little bit of stress off that helps in another way is the benefit. It’s knowing it’s here and it can be accessed and it’s easy to do.”

Volunteer Miriama Samiotis, also spoke about SNVB’s Community Connect programme, which allows them to reach out to people in rural areas and provide wellbeing and welfare support. They are also able to offer vulnerable families money in the form of food vouchers, through Household Support Fund, which she said has been focused at pensioners who are struggling after losing Winter Fuel Allowance funding.

“We knew there was a huge need in the community for us to go out into really remote places and bring the service to people. We go wherever there is need, wherever people say ‘yes please’. There are quite a few people falling through the net,” Miriama explained.

West Northamptonshire Council received more than £2.4 million from the Government Household Support Fund scheme, which has been put towards trusted voluntary and community organisations, meal vouchers for families and tailored support and advice. The funding will offer crucial support during the winter months and come to an end in March 2025 if it is not renewed again.

Councillor Matt Golby, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for public health said: “This funding will make a tangible difference to the lives of many families and individuals across West Northamptonshire during these challenging times.

“By working closely with our local partners and voluntary organisations, we are committed to ensuring that every pound is used to offer the most practical support possible, helping people to keep warm, well-fed, and supported through the winter.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “This Labour Government is making sure people up and down the country are getting support with the cost of living, which saw a dramatic rise under Conservative rule.”