Brighton school sets up pantry to help parents with rising costs

Donations have flooded in for the pantry at Elm Grove School in Brighton, set up by the parent-teacher association, to help ease the burden of rising prices for the school’s community.

The pantry will provide access to nutritious food and enable families at the school to stretch their budgets.

Becky Kent, chairwoman of the parent-teacher association, said: “Elm Grove families are feeling the squeeze now more than ever and the free, accessible pantry is a place where families can take what they need, donate what they have spare and work together to reduce food waste.

“The parent-teacher association is working with a number of local organisations, including FareShare, Brighton and Hove Food Partnership and Neighbourly, to build a network of suppliers who can donate both food and funding towards the pantry.

“Much of the food we’re sourcing will be intercepted food waste, such as supermarket surplus, so the pantry is not only helping to reduce food bills but help stop food going into landfill too.

“We’re developing the pantry into a long-term sustainable project that enables us to include a greater provision of supplies, including fresh and healthy produce.”

The new pantry at Elm Grove School in Brighton (Image: Elm Grove School PTA)

Ms Kent said that the pantry had had a “fantastic start” and that the association is applying for grants to buy a fridge and get an electricity supply to the building, so they can offer fresh produce and prepared meals.

A uniform and coat swap has also been set up at the school for families to exchange good quality used uniforms, including trousers, polo shirts, coats and PE kits.