News New provider for Maidstone food larders
The Community Larders in Maidstone were established by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) in 2022 with grants from the West Kent Health and Care Partnership. As this funding is no longer available, the Council is supporting ‘The Bread and Butter Thing’ (Bread and Butter) to deliver a sustainable offer that continues to tackle food inequalities in the borough.
Recognising that the funding was coming to an end, MBC explored all options to ensure the provision’s future, and in December 2024, the MBC Cabinet approved a one-off investment to Bread and Butter. This decision will continue the legacy created by the MBC officers and volunteers of the Community Larders at Shepway, Park Wood and Trinity, to whom the Council is extremely grateful.
Cllr David Naghi, MBC Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Safety, said:
The Community Larders have helped to support hundreds of residents since 2022, and there is a clear need to continue this excellent work. My thanks go to the MBC officers and volunteers who have made this possible. With the funding stream removed, I am pleased that the Council has been able to find a sustainable way to maintain the service.
Bread and Butter will be offering a new model from April 2025 to help food budgets go further by providing fresh, healthy, affordable produce, and is the largest member-based food redistribution charity in the UK. Originally based in Manchester, the charity has expanded across the country, creating over 130 food clubs and welcoming more than 100,000 members.
Maidstone will be Bread and Butter’s first base in the South-East and will operate out of Allington, where food is collected from suppliers and growers, including top supermarket chains and local farmers, and distributed to the community venues. On the day of delivery, food check standards will be conducted to offer the best quality products to members.
Users of the service will need to sign up to Bread and Butter by texting 07860 063 304 with their full name, postcode, and the name of the hub they will be collecting from. Once registered, the charity will text the members to ask if they would like to use the service each week. Once confirmed, there will be a guaranteed food package waiting on the day of collection.
There will be different offers for single person households, those with special dietary requirements and larger households, and Bread and Butter’s most popular offer is three carrier bags of food (which contain a mixture of fruit and vegetables, cupboard and chill items) for £8.50.
Bread and Butter’s Chief Executive, Vic Harper says:
We’re all about helping food budgets go further so we’re really pleased to have the opportunity to support communities in Maidstone. The Bread and Butter Thing is about reducing the need for emergency food provision, increasing access to nutritious food and building strong communities. 73% of our members tell us that, since joining Bread and Butter, they don’t skip as many meals as they used to. By shopping with us, members save on their food budgets with the added benefits of better quality and a bigger variety of food. This leads to healthier lifestyles which frees up budget for other household priorities.
The food clubs will continue at Shepway, 1-2 Northumberland Court, ME15 7LW, and Trinity, ME14 1LY, where there will be assistance for residents to sign-up for the new service. The Park Wood hub will move to Fusion Healthy Living Centre, 2-3 Cobb Way, ME15 9XF.
Maidstone-based charities Fusion and Making A Difference To Maidstone will be generously supporting the delivery of the scheme, and Bread and Butter is aiming to reach wider areas of the borough and set up new hubs so that more residents can access low cost, healthy food. There will always be something new to try, as the deliveries depend on what is supplied each week, and this will help to improve diet diversity.
More information about The Bread and Butter Thing can be found on their website.
MBC aims to create Healthier, Stronger Communities by tackling inequalities, working with partner organisations and reducing food waste, and supporting the scheme helps to ensure this priority.