A CALL TO ALL MEMBERS: IS THE COMMUNITY LARDER FUTUREPROOF?
We need to have an honest conversation about the future of the Community Larder, and we'd like you to be part of it.
The Larder operates on a pay-what-you-can donation basis. Rather than setting prices for food, everyone can contribute what feels affordable for them and their household. We believe this is the fairest way to ensure food remains accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Historically, grant funding has helped us cover the shortfall between what we receive in donations and what it costs to run the service. Unfortunately, funding opportunities are becoming increasingly difficult to secure, and we can no longer rely on grants to bridge that gap.
We're committed to keeping the Larder going for as long as we possibly can. We remain hopeful that funding opportunities will improve, and we're continually exploring ways to adapt. However, we also need to be realistic: our current financial model may not be sustainable in the long term.
We want to avoid introducing membership fees or minimum charges for food. We fear that doing so could create barriers for the very people who need the Larder most. But we do need to explore every option that might help secure its future, while protecting the principle that food should remain accessible to all.
WHAT DOES THE LARDER ACTUALLY DELIVER?
The Larder is about much more than providing affordable food. We're tackling food waste, reducing carbon emissions, supporting vulnerable households and building a more resilient local food system.
Here are some things you might not know about what we do:
Surplus food isn't always free. Our FareShare membership alone costs nearly £5,000 a year. This gives us access to surplus food from across the supply chain.
We're open five days a week. This includes four public openings and a dedicated day supporting the local P7 event, ensuring children have access to healthy, free food at lunchtime.
We deliver more than 7000 meals every year through our food parcel service, supporting vulnerable households across Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire.
Our NET carbon savings were more than 110 tonnes of CO₂ through our work last calendar year. That's roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of 24 average petrol cars, or 30 homes.
We grow and distribute our own food right here in the village, alongside redistributing surplus food from retailers and suppliers.
We run free cooking classes, helping people develop skills, confidence and knowledge around food.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO KEEP THE LARDER RUNNING?
To deliver all of this, we need a minimum input of:
38 hours of staff time per week
70 hours of volunteer time per week
There are also significant ongoing running costs, including:
Staffing, volunteer fuel expenses and training.
Electricity, Wi-Fi and commercial refuse collection.
Building and facility maintenance.
Insurance, banking and administration.
Volunteer and staff PVG/disclosure checks.
Everyday supplies such as bags, labels, gloves and cleaning products.
Growing materials, tools, soil and seeds.
Membership fees for the organisations that help us access food and support our work.
These are the costs behind keeping the doors open, getting food to households and making everything happen week after week.
HOW CAN MEMBERS HELP SECURE THE FUTURE?
On average, member donations currently amount to just 39p per household, per visit during regular pantry openings. This doesn't even take in to account the out-of-hours visits to the Community Fridge & Freezer.
To maintain the current donation-based model, without introducing set food prices, we need to reach an average contribution of £3.50 per household, per visit.
We understand that not everyone can afford to give this much. We would never want anyone to feel unable to access the Larder because they cannot afford to donate. Equally, we know that some households are in a position to contribute more.
If you can afford to give a little more, it really could make the difference in keeping the Larder accessible to everyone.
We'd ask all members to think about how much they save by shopping at the Larder compared with their usual grocery shopping. What proportion of that saving could you afford to put back into the service?
Every additional donation helps us protect the future of the Larder.
While we take card and cash donations at the Larder, you can also sign up to make a monthly donation via direct debit by clicking here.
VOLUNTEERING MAKES A DIFFERENCE TOO
The more our community supports the Larder through volunteering, the more sustainable the project becomes and the less we need to rely on paid staffing.
We particularly need help with:
Collecting food from supermarkets.
Delivering food parcels.
Helping to run our public opening sessions.
You don't need to make a regular commitment. Even a couple of hours a month, on an ad-hoc basis, would make a real difference.
HELP US KEEP THE LARDER GOING
The Community Larder belongs to the community, and securing its future is something we can work towards together. We want to keep providing accessible food, reducing food waste and supporting local households for many years to come. If you value what the Larder brings to our community, please consider whether you could increase your donation, give some time as a volunteer, or both.
If you have suggestions or thoughts you would like to share regarding any of this, we would love to hear from you: communitylarder@myleapproject.org
You can find all the information and links to get involved via our website and social media:
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