A CHARITY which helps West Somerset families avoid falling into food insecurity has marked its second anniversary.

The Local Pantry operating on Tuesdays from St Michael the Archangel Church, Alcombe, now helps more than 100 families annually.

It receives surplus food from supermarkets via Fareshare South West and packages it into parcels for pantry members who live within a 15-minute travel time of the church.

Families pay a £4 weekly membership fee and are given fresh, chilled, and non-perishable supermarket food which would otherwise have gone to waste.

A spokesperson said: “Ninety per cent of our customers are on low income from employment or benefits, earning 60 per cent or less of the median UK household income.

“The Local Pantry really helps 
stop families from falling into food insecurity.”

The pantry is part of the West Somerset Food Cupboard, which earlier this year received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.