Meet the Foxhill charity helping the local community afford essentials.
Miah Sanghera, 26 is part of a small team providing tinned food and toiletries to residents of Foxhill and Parson Cross.
The Essentials Pantry offers a variety of tinned items, as well as cereal, tea bags, long-life milk, and toiletries such as hand soap, deodorant, laundry detergent, and period products.
The new service has a steady group of users and has helped approximately 20 households and around 75 specific individuals so far.
The project was launched after the Forum noticed more people coming to their door asking for help amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Foxhill Forum describe themselves as “a charity organisation aiming to create a community where local people are involved and empowered to play an active role and make a difference.”
As Project Coordinator, Ms Sanghera has previously worked on projects combatting holiday hunger, providing support to children on free school meals during the holiday period.
Ms Sanghera said: “Everyone’s feeling the pinch, whether they are employed or not.
“At the core of the forum, one of our main principles is to help local community,” she said.
“We want to be able to help people where we can so that the money they have can go towards other, more expensive things like fresh produce.”
Ms Sanghera said that they are not trying to be a foodbank. Instead, they provide people with the essentials to get them through to the next pay day.
The pantry is open to donations. Ms Sanghera said that the project’s aim is to be sustainable, and it will continue as long as it can.
The service is funded by Sheffield City Council community fund and Soar’s Let’s Build Health Grant.
According to Sheffield City Council, the grant giving team invests £2,985,372.53 annually into Sheffield’s voluntary sector.
To access the service, the only requirement is that you live in Parson Cross or Foxhill.
For more information about accessing the Essential Pantry, email miah.sanghera@foxhill-forum.co.uk or call 0114 231 5522/ 07817 658375.
