Isle of Wight Pantries
IW Pantries support low income families and households across the Isle of Wight to gain easy access to good quality and healthy food.
The Isle of Wight falls within the two most at risk deciles of the University of Southampton food insecurity risk index.
Both structural food insecurity (factors measured include bus stops, distances to employment / food stores and internet speeds) and compositional food insecurity (includes benefit claimants, low income, mental health and educational attainment).
IW Pantries support low income families and households across the Isle of Wight to gain easy access to good quality and healthy food. In so doing reduce health inequalities and obesity. This support reduces the effects of low income and poverty through paying a fixed membership price rather than pay for individual items and so saving up to £20 per week from their food costs. Members pay £5.00 and they get at least £15.00 worth of food. This is a dignified way of accessing food at reduced costs.
Their aim is to create a sustainable and social system, improve food security and reduce the carbon footprint of surplus food on the Isle of Wight through the development of a local surplus food distribution centre which will remove the need for surplus food to be taken back to the mainland, therefore reducing the carbon footprint.
Monique Gallop, Director said:
“The WightAid grant will enable us to buy food to be distributed throughout the Island. Through the pantries we aim to generate increased community spirit, friendships and reduce isolation. By using ethical food sources, they will also tackle issues of surplus and environmental damage”.
