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Twentieth larder in county launches in Banbury
01/05/2024
Scheme aims to give people the ability to help themselves through a hand-up rather than a hand-out
A scheme which tackles food insecurity and the issues around it, whilst reducing food waste, has launched in Banbury.
The Banbury Larder opened at Banbury Methodist Church for the first time yesterday and will be open every Tuesday between 2 and 4pm.
Its part of the Sofea Network, which already has nineteen other larders across Oxfordshire.
Sofea was set up 10 years ago primarily as an education charity helping young people escape poverty. Initially a larder was created for the families of the young people they were working with, taking surplus food in the supply chain and redistributing it. Since then it has grown with other larders introduced across the county.
To become a member of Banbury Larder people need to make a payment of £3.50 per week. In return they can take groceries which in total would have cost far more in a shop.
Banbury Town Mayor, Fiaz Ahmed, has spent the last few months setting up the Banbury Larder – which is officially registered as a not-for-profit Community Interest company. Shabnam Malik, Prabhu Natarajan and Taraji Ogunnubi are also directors of the project.
Sir Tony Baldry, the High Steward of Banbury, performed the official opening and paid tribute to the volunteers who will be working on the project. They will be helping the larder’s members in a number of areas, not just with food.
Anthony Leonard, Sofea’s Operations Director feels that the larders are about more than just the food that is distributed.
He said: “The way to look at it is the distinction between a food bank and a larder. A food bank is a handout. What we’re doing is a hand up.
“We’re trying to give the people that come to the larders the ability to help themselves, to lift themselves out of poverty, to transform their own lives.
“To start with this larder will be all about the food. But eventually the volunteers will get to know the people that come here, get to know what their problems are, what their needs are and they will then start developing the services the local community need.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam