THE Purfleet-on-Thames community celebrated a special launch of a new local pantry and café today (Thursday, 22 August), aiming to give residents better access to affordable, healthy food and everyday essentials.  

The Purfleet Community Pantry and Café is the result of a joint effort by Thurrock council, Purfleet on Thames Community Forum, The Peabody Trust and Thurrock CVS, and volunteers from the Purfleet Community Hub; Joanne, Kyra, Becky, Terri, Mo, John, Scott and Nicole, to help local families struggling through the ongoing cost of living crisis.  

An empty space, which was provided by Thurrock Council's housing team, has been transformed into a vibrant community shop and café which will serve Purfleet residents.

The council's work on the space was supported by contributions from companies like KBH Services, Wates, Stephenson Ltd, Austin Stevens Ltd, AJS Group Services and Start Thurrock.

The venue now includes a fully equipped kitchen and a café, operated by trained volunteers from Purfleet Community Hub, who have been instrumental in bringing this vision to life.  

The aim is to help local residents gain better access to food and essential items by offering a lifetime membership that significantly lowers the cost of their grocery shop without having to travel far from home.  

Membership is available to all local residents. After paying a one-off membership fee of £3, residents will gain access to the shop; which offers a variety of essential items, focusing on healthy food options.  

Items within the shop will be available at more affordable prices than other local options, with a £5 shop in the pantry enabling residents to buy approximately £21 worth of goods. Residents that use the shop every week, can save up to £1,000 over a year.  

From left to right (Cllr Qaisar Abbas, Cllr Aaron Green, Mayor of Thurrock Cllr Kairen Raper, Cllr Val Morris-Cook and Cllr Lee Watson) attend the opening of the pantry and cafe copy

Cabinet Member for Community Partnerships, Cllr Valerie Morris–Cook, said:   "I am really proud to have attended the opening of the Community Pantry and Café today alongside all our amazing council officers, Purfleet Community Hub volunteers and local organisations who have worked so hard to make this dream a reality.  

"We all know how hard it has been over the last couple of years, with the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation making basic food items unaffordable for many local residents. This is a local solution to a national problem, and I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to create this welcoming space where residents can access essential, healthy food at lower prices.  

"It's also a positive example of the council listening and responding to our residents in Purfleet-on-Thames, who told us they wanted better access to affordable food and groceries – something that has been a challenge on their estate.   

"We encourage anyone who has in-date food or essential items that they are thinking about throwing away to come-a-long and donate it to the Community Hub Pantry which continues to operate from the Hub at No 53-54 River Court.

"One donation could go a long way in helping another family to sustain a happy, healthy life, and this Pantry helps to avoid food waste too."