Love Gloucester Annual Report for 2024-25
During this reporting year, the focus of Love Gloucester, was the Barney’s Pantry project set up during the previous reporting year
Barney’s Pantry co-ordinates the collection and distribution of free or low cost food to people living in Gloucester. It operates from St Barnabas Church Hall, Stroud Road, Gloucester with the permission of St Barnabas Church Parochial Church Council (PCC). Permission was granted from in December 2023 to use the Jordan lounge and adjoining storage cupboard at no cost. This initial trial period showed that the Pantry was used by many local people and continued use has been allowed.
The Pantry opens on Friday afternoons from 1.30 pm-6pm and total numbers of users increased to around 50 with an average of around 25 individuals using the pantry each week. Each member of the Pantry is able to collect up to 12 items of ambient food each week. Some of these people collected food bags on behalf of other vulnerable people so the number of people benefitting from food distribution is somewhat larger than the number of visitors.
In addition to the ambient (long life pantry) food there is additional free food which is collected from the suppliers, such as Morrisons. Lidl and Marks and Spencer, each week. This consists of a mixture of fresh fruit and vegetables, and baked items such as bread and cakes.
This year Love Gloucester have been collaborating with St Barnabas Church who have been running a donation-based café, called Relax, in the adjacent church hall(s). Relax offers hot drinks and cakes. It also provides a warm welcoming space and a place to talk with others in a friendly, community minded environment. During the summer school holidays there are additional craft and other fun activities provided for families that are often unable to have the resources to go on holiday. This space proved very popular with up to 10 families using this space on a regular basis. The Relax space in collaboration with the Pantry has been able to provide food, safe space and a friendly atmosphere for those in our local community to use regularly.
Plans for the coming year are to consolidate the work at the Pantry and collaborate with more local communities to explore options to provide cooking classes where the free food can be used to make healthy and nutritious meals. We would also like to collaborate more closely with St Barnabas Church in creating a space where other activities, such as arts and crafts are available on a regular basis.
Accounts 01/04/2023 - 31/03/2024
| Date | Income | Expenditure | Balance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/04/2024 | £3,268.62 | |||
| 3/04/2024 | Pantry Set up | £60.00 | £3,208.62 | |
| 8/04/2024 | Beeman Carpentry Pantry Sign |
£22.00 | ||
| 04/09/2024 | Freezer | £750.00 | £2,436.62 | |
| 15/04/2024 | Pantry Donations | £115.00 | £2,551.62 | |
| 28/06/2024 | Beeman Carpentry Storage | £100 | £2,451.62 |
| 12/08/2024 | Donations | £431 | £2,882.62 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22/08/2024 | Morgan Supplies Ltd | £417.76 | £2,464.86 | |
| 13/09/2024 | Top up food | £24 | £2,440.86 | |
| 21/10/2024 | Donations | £285.00 | £2,725.86 | |
| 20/11/2024 | GCC grant | £200.00 | £2,925.86 | |
| 26/11/2024 | GCC grant | £1,000 | £3,925.86 | |
| 16/12/2024 | Contribution to heating | £200 | £3,725.86 | |
| 25/02/2025 | Top up food | £54 | £3,671.86 | |
| Closing balance at 31/3/2025 | £3,671.86 | |||
| Total | £2,031.00 | £1,627.76 |