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Welcome to North End Pantry 

Based at the North End Baptist Church Community Hall, the North End Panty is part of our mission to offer a helping hand to all our neighbours in need and those passionate about stopping unwanted supermarket food going to landfill!
North End Food Pantry was the first ‘Your Local Pantry’ to open in Portsmouth. Today it remains the largest in the area, and the food and household essentials that we distribute reaches around 600 local people each week!

Our food pantry members come from all walks of life. These include local people who are passionate about stopping food going into landfill, working adults who can no longer afford to feed their families because of the cost-of-living crisis; people who have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet on benefits; and overseas nationals who live here legally but receive no support from the government under current immigration policy.  in 2023, North End Pantry provided over 200,000 meals that cost its members just 33p a meal!

 

What is a food pantry?

Food Pantries were designed to give dignity back to people who are struggling in food poverty by redirecting food that larger supermarkets were sending to landfill.  Anyone who lives in the relevant postcode is able to become a member where the Pantry has membership spaces.  Pantries are strengthening communities, fostering friendships, loosening the grip of poverty and contributing to healthier, happier lives.  Pantries operate as a membership food clubs and neighbourhood hubs, often serving as springboards to other community initiatives and ideas. 

Pantries allow members to return on a weekly basis and in return for a £5 membership fee, people can choose 10 items from a wide range including toiletries, bread and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Across the country and our city, pantries are helping to soften the blow of high living costs while creating the conditions for communities to grow and thrive, by bringing people together around food. 

 

How does North End Pantry work?

North End Pantry is a membership club open to anyone who lives in PO2 or PO3. You do not need to book in advance and can just turn up on the day. We do not require people to prove their income or bring a referral voucher. We do ask people to complete a short registration form on their first visit to become a member, and they can then come any further weeks they wish.

The cost to attend is £5 per visit, and in return members can purchase the food and household items they want most at a low, discounted price. Members take away a lot more than £5-worth of food – on average the value of the food is at least £20 per visit! They also have choice about what items they receive, because they are able to select what they need most each week.
The items available vary from week to week, but always includes a good range of staple foods and household goods. Items are sourced from local supermarkets including food they no longer wish to sell, and subsidised food purchased by our volunteers from members’ fees.   

 

How to reach us 

North End Pantry is located in the Community Hall at North End Baptist Church. You can find us at 195 Powerscourt Rd, Portsmouth PO2 7JH. The entrance to the Hall is located on Farlington Road.

To join us, just come along to any of our regular pantry sessions. We are open four days a week at the times given below. 
If you have a question before you visit, you can email us at pantry@northendbaptistchurch.com or ring Jo on 07733624248 or Lou on 07311826542 during opening hours.

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If you live in a different post code or looking for a food bank or other help with food, do look on the Council website here.


How does the pantry make a difference?

To date, more than 600 people in the PO2 and PO3 postcodes have had their lives improved through North End Pantry membership. 

New national research shows Local Pantries save members £21 a week. 97% of members say joining a pantry has improved their household finances, while 83% say membership has been good for their mental health and 68% say it has been good for their physical health. 

Here’s how one of our North End Pantry members, Denise, describes her experience:
 
'As a worker on a low income, I’ve found the cost of living increases really tough. The food pantry has been a real Godsend for me - especially in recent months when I’ve faced the additional costs of a house move and a delay in receiving benefits to top up my income.

If it wasn’t for the pantry, things would be really difficult for me and I’m not sure how I’d manage. 

I don’t like asking others for help so I find being a pantry member really empowering. The food I receive lasts me most of the week, and there’s lots of choice so I can always pick up the items I need most! '
 

Throughout the early part of 2024, North End Pantry are involved in a Food Waste research project and look forward to sharing the results with you when they are in!


How can I support North End Pantry? 

The North End Pantry is delivered by 25 volunteers, who serve with love and dedication every week. We are hugely grateful for their support, and we often have opportunities for new volunteers to join our friendly team. Hours can be flexible and we ask for a minimum commitment of 2 hours a week. If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering, please contact Jo or Lou at pantry@northendbaptistchurch.com or ring Jo on 07733624248 or Lou on 07311826542 during opening hours.


We also very much welcome financial support from those who are able to provide it. Currently, the best way of supporting the future of our food pantry is to donate to our Community Hall renovation project. To learn more about this and make a donation, please visit this page.

Alternatively, if you are part a local business that might be able to provide donations of food, toiletries or dry goods, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us at 07733624248 or 07311826542 for an initial chat.
 











 

Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details below) for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 10am, before the service begins. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Plan your journey: 

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

  • Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
  • Livewires (3-7 years)
  • Encounter (7-11 years)
  • Katalyst (11-15 years)
  • Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Children

Getting Connected


Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. 

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

  • Men's Ministries
  • Women's Ministries
  • Night Shelter
  • Foodbank
     
Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.
 
Name:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 

Leadership 

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Leader 1   Leader 2
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We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)