John and Sarah (names changed) started coming to Trust House Christmas 2020, they were really struggling to make ends meet and Christmas was proving particularly difficult for them and their 6 adult children. Initially Sarah would come and do her pantry shop and then leave with John. Over time, Sarah became more confident and started to use the community cafe, making connections with other visitors and benefiting from the Wellbeing sessions. Sarah is now a regular at Trust House and recommends the pantry to her friends, family and neighbours. With their current financial difficulties including an IVA, pantry allows them to make ends meet, eat better as well as trying new food.

Rob (names changed) lives on his own with his dog. He has never been very good and looking after himself and often prioritising feeding his dog over eating himself. Energy bills have always been a struggle for him and so when we opened the pantry he saw a great opportunity to reduce his weekly outgoings by getting around £20 worth of food for just £3. Rob is now looking after himself better and has lost some of the weight that he put on during lockdown. He is also able to access more fresh food and is learning to cook simple meals that will keep him full for longer.