The challenges of food poverty in the local community have long been at the top of our agenda but so far we have only made small contributions toward organisations working on it. WEM is now commissioning activity that will make a sustained difference locally. Rather than small temporary interventions WEM wants to achieve something that meets our Action Plan agenda; strategic and offers the widest benefits, brings organisations to work together and is sustainable.
Having talked with the local Food Poverty Alliance we are looking at partly supporting a Food Club shop (sometimes also called a pantry) in the West End. Based on the same ideas as many local food clubs, including the one at Stanley’s Community Centre, the shop offers a different means of accessing food support through a shop. This is not only more empowering to people who use the service but it also opens up assistance for people who aren’t able to come to food club sessions at a community centre.
Stop press: Working with local partners on the Food Poverty Alliance, including Lancaster based Egg Cup and Stanleys Community Centre in the West End, it seems the majority of match funding has been found so it looks as if this project is a go. We will post more updates as things happen.
