UP to 50 food insecure families in Swanage and Purbeck have been supported by a weekly Mobile Larder since the start of the year. Every Monday, a FareShare van pulls into the playground of St Mark’s School. Our local schools, in Swanage, Langton and Corfe – at the heart of their communities – have gone the extra mile to support the larder.

Families identified by the schools have become members of FareShare, collecting their crates and cool bags of food either in person or through the schools. Volunteer drivers make deliveries to the schools or to members’ homes. Members who require it are signposted to Citizens Advice.

FareShare – a well-regarded national organisation, with the mission to redistribute good quality surplus food to those who need it – is now ready to provide Swanage and Purbeck with a second Mobile Larder.

Food for Thought Purbeck operates under the umbrella of the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust. It is very grateful to the trust for its unfailing support and encouragement, as it is to Dorset Help and Kindness, whose grant of further funding will pay for the second Larder.

The schools, as well as our Swanage and Purbeck FareShare members, have been generous with their praise.
A local headteacher wrote: “The FareShare scheme that we were invited to join in January this year has been invaluable to our families…

“They are all incredibly appreciative of the support they receive and comment positively each week on the wide and varied array of food they are supported with. The volunteers of the scheme, who set this up and led this in Swanage, are wonderful people. Without their invaluable support and the delivery of the food to our school, most of the families who are members of FareShare would simply not be able to access the provision.”

A single mum wrote to Debby Monkhouse, Swanage town councillor at the forefront of the scheme:
“This scheme has helped so much and eased my worries…Thank you so much”.

The Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust has very exciting plans to develop the Children’s Centre and adjacent sites at Chapel Lane. Food for Thought is grateful that the trust is happy for the second Mobile Larder to be based there.

The start date for the second larder will be Wednesday, June 7 – the larder will be on-site from 9.30am- 10.30am.

Food for Thought hopes, in particular, to support the more elderly of Swanage’s residents, as well as those who are housebound or working at the time the larder is open, through delivering food direct to their homes.

Food for Thought welcomes all those who would like to access the second larder – and all those who might like to help as volunteers, either helping give out food or making deliveries.

Food for Thought Purbeck is making a difference.

Contact details for Debby Monkhouse are cllr monkhouse@swanagecouncillors.uk

She looks forward to hearing from you!

CHRIS BRADEY
Chair, Swanage & Rural Purbeck Labour Party