Before the COVID-19 crisis, Poplar Street Primary School in Tameside received weekly FareShare GM deliveries for its breakfast and after-school clubs, providing food for children in a borough where one in five are growing up below the poverty line.
When the first lockdown hit in March 2020, Headteacher, Iain Linsdell, knew he had to find a way to keep getting food onto the plates of his most vulnerable pupils. Thanks to the amazing efforts of its teachers and staff, the school switched to distributing food parcels to local families and has become a vital support hub for the community.
Since the first lockdown, Poplar Street distributed nearly 16 tonnes of FareShare food to local families, equivalent to over 37,000 meal portions. At the height of the pandemic, the school was delivering almost 150 parcels a week.
“Our partnership with FareShare enabled us to become a different kind of community hub, so instead of families and kids coming to us, we’re going out to them. We were able to deliver high quality food from supermarkets and wholesalers straight to families’ doors. I had staff members meeting children, having that human connection and also doing a brilliant community service – and that’s what it’s all about.”
It’s keeping our community connected in a way that’s familiar and reassuring both to staff and children. It’s bringing a little bit of normality to everyone’s lives in these exceptional times. Working with FareShare is just a brilliant win-win.”
Iain Linsdell
Headteacher
Iain’s tireless work to support his community has been truly inspirational and has helped us all remember how important it is to work as hard as we can to help others through the current crisis.
Watch the short film below to learn more about Poplar Street’s amazing efforts:
These stories from Poplar Street Primary during the lockdown resonate as a reminder of the strength of collective resilience and the boundless capacity for human kindness. They illuminate the path forward—where communities unite to uplift the most vulnerable, leaving no one behind.
Cre8 Macclesfield is a charity and social enterprise providing activities and services for children, young people and young adults. During the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Cre8 joined the FareShare Greater Manchester network. Consequently, converting its surplus food grocery into a home delivery service to get ready-made food parcels to people’s doorsteps.
Elderly and vulnerable individuals were cut off from their usual support networks. FareShare food enabled Cre8 to address the vast need in its local community. They were able to scale-up operations to run five days a week, reaching up to 150 households per week. They were also able to regularly provide ingredients to the nearby Hope Centre cafe in Macclesfield. This cafe produces home-cooked frozen meals for the most vulnerable in the community.
Since joining FareShare, Cre8 Macclesfield have utilised nearly 51 tonnes of food. Ultimately, that figures is among the highest in our entire network of over 220 members. This equates to around 120,000 meal portions.
“Those we support have described the help we were able to provide as ‘lifesaving’ and it’s only with Fareshare GM’s support that we were able to do this. Becoming a new member during COVID-19 was a simple process, and we were helped every step of the way by the volunteers and staff on-site at the Manchester depot. It has made such a difference to our food offering and really helped our community across Macclesfield.
I am struck by the sense of belonging and togetherness being part of the FareShare network has brought us. Alongside the worry and fear of new challenges that we are facing daily, we are so aware of the sense of community that being part of the network has brought us.
Our trips to FareShare are full of hope. Often when we took food that was close to its use by date, that would mean driving back late and driving round the streets to get the food out. The response was always joyful. The sense of family and belonging and that we will get through this together, being part of something bigger, has helped our small charity survive and our community feel loved, which is needed now more than ever.”
Ameera Fletcher
Director at Cre8
In reflecting on this journey, Ameera Fletcher, Director of Cre8 Macclesfield, expressed profound gratitude for the transformation that FareShare GM’s support brought to their community. This alliance not only bolstered their food offerings but also cultivated a profound sense of unity and belonging during challenging times. The smiles ignited by a meal, the comfort of a warm dish, and the reassurance of a caring community—all underscore the impact that collaborative efforts can have. As the world navigates the post-pandemic landscape, stories like Cre8’s serve as a testament to the resilience and compassion that bind us together, promising a brighter and more compassionate future.
The Lighthouse Pantry, located in Middleton, Rochdale, is a membership-based food club that aims to help families reduce their weekly food costs, especially during challenging times. Since its establishment in March 2019, the Pantry has been providing essential support to the local community. However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for food distribution has significantly increased.
During lockdown, the Lighthouse Pantry faced a significant challenge like finding new charity volunteers in Manchester. This was because most of their existing team had to go into self-isolation. Fortunately, several regular visitors and pantry members stepped up to fill the void. Angela and Alwayne, as shown in the picture above with Pantry Manager Carl Roach, were among them.
The Lighthouse Pantry’s second big challenge was was securing enough food to serve the growing number of families requiring help. Thanks to FareShare GM’s assistance, they secured an extra food delivery. This allowed them to open for an additional day and increase the number of members they could support. From April to August, the Pantry utilised over 9 tonnes of food. They recorded 1,140 attendances during 63 Pantry sessions. Additionally, they provided assistance to 115 different families with their weekly food shopping needs.
“With the support of FareShare GM, we were able to secure an additional delivery of food to the Pantry, which then meant we could open for an additional day and also increase the number of members that we could support. Because of this our project has grown – between April and August we used over 9 tonnes of food, recorded 1,140 attendances during 63 Pantry sessions and we have supported 115 different families with their weekly food shopping needs.
It is clear to see, in these challenging times, the significance of the FareShare food supplies and the positive impact that the Pantry model has had in helping families to reduce their weekly food costs, keeping them afloat in these times when monies are tight.”
Carl Roach
Pantry Project Manager at Lighthouse Pantry
The impact of FareShare food distribution and the Lighthouse Pantry model in helping families reduce their weekly food costs cannot be overstated, especially during these challenging times when finances are tight. The project has grown significantly, and the Pantry’s efforts continue to be appreciated by the community.
Overall, the Lighthouse Pantry and FareShare food distribution have been instrumental in supporting the community during these difficult times, and their efforts are commendable. You can find out more about the Lighthouse Pantry and how to support their cause by visiting their website at Lighthouse Pantry.
The Burnside Centre, a community centre in Langley, Rochdale, has been dedicated to aiding local residents through its food delivery project since early 2020. With weekly food supplies from FareShare Greater Manchester they provided essential groceries and daily hot meals to those in need.
Since May 2020, the Burnside Centre has delivered nearly 1,000 hot meals and over 700 grocery parcels. The hot meals are prepared fresh on-site and the recipes are shared on social media as cooking demonstrations.
Thanks to FareShare GM, the Burnside Centre has received almost one tonne of food, which has allowed them to continue supporting their community during these difficult times. The food parcels not only meet the need for food but also provide a friendly chat and check-in on those who may need extra support.
“Over the past few months we have received a combined weight of almost one tonne of food from FareShare Greater Manchester. Without this we would be unable to support our community in the way that we have. Often times the people we deliver to are socially isolated and during the pandemic have not been able to leave their house at all. By offering the food parcels we’re not only providing to the need of food, but we’re also able to offer a friendly doorstep chat and check in on those who may need a little extra support during this difficult time.
The consistent deliveries from FareShare have allowed us to keep in touch with our community and reach out to the individuals and families that need some form of support. We’re extremely grateful that we’ve been able to continue our work with the community and work on a project that so far has helped 140 individuals just on our local estate.”
Kaireen McDonald
Burnside Project Development Coordinator
The consistent deliveries from FareShare GM have enabled the Burnside Centre to keep in touch with the community and reach out to those who require food support in Rochdale. See what the Burnside Centre’s support means to its local community in our Lockdown Story film:
With their food delivery project, the Burnside Centre has shown how a small pot of funding and weekly food supplies from FareShare GM can make a big difference in the local community.
The Burnside Centre’s food delivery project has been a lifeline for many local families, especially those who are elderly or vulnerable. Thanks to their partnership with FareShare Greater Manchester, they have been able to provide essential food supplies and hot meals to those in need. The community centre has also been sharing their recipes on social media, encouraging people to try new dishes at home. The project has received support from several local businesses, including Fresh Direct Northwest, which has been supplying fresh fruits and vegetables. Learn more about Fresh Direct Northwest and their commitment to sustainability.
Discover how you can contribute to local food initiatives and support families in Rochdale. Together, we can make a difference!
Pantries and food clubs are community-driven solutions to tackle food insecurity. These initiatives offer more than just food, as they provide support and advice to members. By becoming a member, individuals can access affordable and nutritious food, as well as other benefits.
Pantries and food clubs are especially helpful for individuals on low incomes. They provide significant support to those experiencing financial difficulties. These initiatives have been developed with the goal of providing food security and reducing food waste. In addition to reducing food insecurity, they also promote a sense of community and encourage social interaction.
In 2013-14, FareShare Greater Manchester spoke with Stockport Homes. Stockport Homes sought to develop food pantry projects in areas of Stockport experiencing high levels of poverty. Moreover, FareShare GM decided to pioneer a new approach to supplying community food projects, adapting working methods to ensure pantry members could have access to a wider variety of foods than available in traditional long-life food parcels.
Importantly, members benefit from a choice of foods on a weekly basis, alongside:
The popularity of pantries and food clubs is on the rise across the region and nationally, as more and more individuals recognise the benefits of becoming a member. These initiatives have been proven to have a positive impact, as explored in this interesting assessment from Church Action on Poverty.
July 2018 – The national charity Mind runs a wellbeing service that offers counselling and training to people of all ages in Greater Manchester facing mental health issues. A core part of this facility is the Mind and Topaz Café which provides over 200 meals per week.
Fareshare Greater Manchester has been providing weekly food deliveries, inducing fresh fruit and vegetables to the Topaz Café since November 2016. The café serves all vegetarian meals to promote the positive impact that a healthy diet can have on people’s mental health.
“The food we receive from FareShare keeps the café going, the essence of the café is that people feel comfortable and supported, allowing them to talk to someone and access more support if they need it. Its an open, welcoming space for people for come and enjoy food together where no one will judge them.”
Paul Garside
The Cafe’s Manager
The Mind and Topaz Café also welcomes food volunteers to support in the food service and prep, providing work experience in the service industry whilst accessing the support that they from Mind. One such volunteer is Jenna, who is accessing the services of Mind to support her with a learning disability. Jenna said “I do the pot wash and make the salads and prepare meals. I feel that I have lost weight since I started working here as I am eating so healthily and I feel much better for it. It’s a really nice place to work and I get on with all thee people who work here, it’s a good community.”