Published: 18 December 2025
The ‘Your Local Pantry’ network continues to make a real difference in our communities - helping customers save an incredible £128,000 on their shopping bills over the past year.
Every Thursday, we open the doors of our pantries in Kirkholt, Smallbridge and Freehold.
Anyone living on these estates who has signed up as a member can access a weekly food parcel worth £20 for just £4.
This means our 200 members and their families are able to save money each week on essential items.
But our pantries are about so much more than food.
Our colleagues and volunteers work hard to provide an all-round service to everyone who comes through the door.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve supported people with £21,266 in energy savings by providing energy vouchers, and—through our partnership with Hopwood Hall College’s catering students—we’ve offered members home-cooked, nutritious meals worth £12,000.
None of this would be possible without the generous donations of food, time, cleaning supplies and personal care products from supporters and local businesses — far too many to name individually.
This year alone, volunteers have dedicated more than 2,300 hours of their time.
Zahida Bashir, Pantry Services Manager, said: “We know times are tough, especially at this time of year.
“If you’re struggling, please come and see us — no one should suffer in silence. We’re here to help.”
The first pantry opened in Kirkholt in 2016, and all pantries run weekly from 10am until noon.
For more information or to sign up, visit: www.rbh.org.uk/how-we-can-help-you/your-local-pantry/
Everyone who walks through the doors of our pantry service has a unique story. The RBH Pantry Team which includes a wonderful group of volunteers, work with our customers to provide a tailored and personal service that goes way beyond supporting with food. Our pantries are a great example of people coming together to improve each other’s lives. They’re helping to strengthen our communities and have a genuinely positive impact on people. They are about alleviating social isolation, which is one of the main detriments to people maintaining good mental health. One lady visits us every week for a chat and has told us that before the pantry opened, she never went out or saw anyone. She’s now enjoying a cuppa and a chat every week with our amazing team who also supported her to access to food through a recent illness. We also spend time in the community advising others how to set up a pantry service and the RBH team has been responsible for paving the way to access to food for many people across the Borough. I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved this year.
