Dear John

Throughout 2022, we are using our blog to tell the stories behind the photos that feature in the 'Dignity, Agency, Power' calendar sent out to many of our supporters in December. May’s page features our Your Local Pantry programme, so we caught up with James Henderson, who became network development coordinator for Your Local Pantry at the end of last year. (James is third form the left in the photo above, together with volunteers and staff from a Local Pantry in Hitchin.)

"I love seeing the compassion of volunteers and coordinators"

Here are some highlights from the reflections and stories James shares on our blog:

We were delighted to recently launch the first Pantry in Northern Ireland, which means we now have Pantries in all four nations of the UK, and we are still getting lots of interest.

It feels like Pantries are a really current solution to the whole set of circumstances we are seeing just now. People are being squeezed from all sides, particularly with the cost of living. We all want people and communities to have as much dignity as possible, and they are seeing that the Pantry model works.

I love hearing stories from members about the impact Pantries are having on their lives, whether that’s helping them save for something important to them, or easing the difficult choices people are having to make, or meeting new people.

Pantries are really embedded in communities, and when you go in there is such a buzz, such a nice atmosphere. It’s lovely to see.

Read the full interview and see how you can support the Pantry network

Best wishes,

Liam Purcell
Church Action on Poverty