Members Newsletter | Issue 8
Welcome
Hello and welcome to Peckham Pantry’s November/December Newsletter!
We hope you are all keeping warm during these cold November days, and are beginning to make plans for the festive season. In this newsletter we are excited to share about Co-op’s membership fund and the launch of Pecan’s Christmas campaign ‘Give a Gift of Hope.’
Don’t forget…
To support our pantry and support the value it brings to many, please consider donating to the pantry via the Bankuet QR code or link. The Pantry is able to provide affordable food shops for their members because of the kindness and generosity of volunteers and donors.
Thank you.
Temi Okudiya
Peckham Pantry Manager
Co-op Local Community Fund
Co-op has chosen the Peckham Pantry to be their charity of the year
We’re delighted that Co-op Members can officially support Peckham Pantry as part of the Local Community Fund from now until October 2024. membership.coop.co.uk
Pantries have been a safe haven for communities to save money during the current cost of living crisis. In addition to that, local pantries create different opportunities for communities to come together around food. So, we are delighted that Co-op has chosen the Peckham Pantry to be their charity of the year! Follow our social media pages to find out more but most importantly sign up for membership (it’s £1) and tell your family and friends too as well. This will have an impact on our food services within our community: www.coop.co.uk/membership
Give a Gift of Hope
The beginning of November saw the launch of Pecan and Southwark Foodbank’s Christmas Campaign – Give a Gift of Hope 2023. This year our aim is to support those who access our service to enjoy Christmas with dignity and hope: Lessening the financial worry this time of year can bring. Give a Gift of Hope will focus on three areas:
- Providing Christmas Food Parcel’s to ensure our clients have enough food over Christmas
- Providing Christmas Goodie bags plus Vouchers to give a little extra Christmas cheer to our clients
- Raising £45,000 in monetary donations to support the above as well as supporting our services (Southwark Foodbank, Peckham Pantry, Women’s Service, Together and Employment) to deliver critical services throughout 2024.
To help raise funds, food supplies and awareness, this year we are launching our new initiative Pecan Day, as part of our Christmas Campaign.
On Tuesday 5 December, we are asking everyone to get involved in a day of volunteering/fundraising, in your offices, Churches, schools or homes. Get sponsored to wear a Christmas costume to work; hold a bake sale; run a food collection; host a quiz: anything that brings a little joy to people while raising money (or food) for Pecan.
Want to get involved? www.pecan.org.uk/pecan-day
Ambassadors of the Month:
The Ambassadors featured in this month’s newsletter both volunteer at St. Luke’s Church, Chandler Way were the Pantry started in February 2019 before the shop was opened in September 2020.
The Pantry continues to have a pop-up shop here every Wednesday between 9.30-2pm
Rosemary
I’ve been volunteering at the Pantry one morning a week for two years. I have usually done some volunteering at every stage of my life but for some time I had caring responsibilities which made it difficult. I wanted to do something close to home, partly for convenience and also as a way of meeting more of my neighbours, and I found the Pecan appeal for volunteers on the Southwark Council website.
When I started there were still Covid restrictions, and it was wonderful to have an opportunity to go out and talk to people so the Pantry was, and it still is a great pleasure and benefit to me. I was happy to do something involving food and preventing food waste. I am quite a keen cook and it is something everyone has in common. People are happy to talk about what they’re buying or cooking, and as the Covid restrictions lifted it has become quite a social event!
I volunteer at St Lukes, the original Peckham Pantry from before the shop opened and enjoy mixing with the people from the church who run the community café in the church hall.
I hope I’ve been useful to other people by volunteering, but it is certainly great for me. I’ve made friends and learned a lot about my neighbourhood.
Miranda
I have been volunteering as a Pantry Ambassador for the past two years. I solely volunteer at the flag ship site, St Luke’s church, Peckham on Wednesday’s.
As this is only open once weekly on a Wednesday, I have made a commitment to this time and place.
Whilst praying I asked to win the lottery and then I would cease working and volunteer. Father God told me ‘Volunteer at the Pantry and then you WILL win the lottery! Never a true word spoken as I am utterly fulfilled in meeting new people, making friends, (and through external work training) offering advice and advocating for those in need and comforting them as and when requested and required.
Without doubt, I am truly blessed and honoured to have secured this role. I hope I will continue or be led to commit to other community voluntary roles in the future, and encourage others to volunteer in their own community context.
Coffee Morning – October 2023
Come and join our December coffee morning at Peckham Pantry on Thursday 14 December from 10.30-11.30am. Everyone is welcome, we’re looking forward to seeing you there!
For further information or any questions, please contact Flora on 07929 999 006.
Snack Packs
Pumpkin Rissoto
Preparation time: 10 minutes + 40 minutes cooking.
Freezing: recommended. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- 750 g (1½ Ib) pumpkin or squash
- 250 g (8 oz) risotto rice
- 600 ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
- 75 g (3 oz) butter
- 4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2.5 cm (1-inch) piece of fresh root ginger, chopped finely
Method
- Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7/ 220°C/425°F.
- Halve the pumpkin or squash, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh in slices. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. When cool, chop the flesh coarsely.
- Meanwhile, heat the stock in a pan.
- Melt the butter and fry the onion, garlic and ginger until soft but not browned.
- Stir in the rice and toss until coated in the butter. Add the stock in about five parts, stirring well after each addition and only adding another lot of stock when the previous one has been absorbed. Halfway through, add the chopped pumpkin.
- The rice is done when it is creamy, but still has some bite. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir in the spring onions and season to taste and sprinkle with parmesan.
BBC Food - £1 Dinners
If you were thinking of borrowing, a credit union loan could save you money. Credit Union offers loans, see the link below to find out more information: creditunion.co.uk/loans/christmas
Pantry Opening Times
49-53 Peckham Park Road, SE15 6TU
- Monday- 9am - 4pm
- Tuesday- 11am - 4pm
- Wednesday- 9am - 4pm
- Thursday- 10am - 7pm
- Friday- 9am - 4pm
- Saturday- 9am - 15pm
- Sunday- Closed
St Lukes Church, Chandler Way, SE15 6DT
- Monday- Closed
- Tuesday- Closed
- Wednesday- 11am - 2pm
- Thursday - Closed
- Friday - Closed
- Saturday - Closed
- Sunday - Closed
Vacancies
If you would like to become a Pantry Ambassador then contact us at:
email: pantry@pecan.org.uk
tel: 020 7277 7075.
website: www.pecan.org.uk/peckham-pantry
