We're in a new food alliance, with a message for Government

We’re in a new food alliance, with a message for Government

16 October 2026

Leading affordable food organisations have joined forces, and are urging the Government to recognise their role in tackling hunger, food insecurity and community fragmentation.

The new Affordable Food Alliance includes Church Action on Poverty, which runs the Your Local Pantry network in 115 UK neighbourhoods, as well as Feeding Britain, Community Shop, The Bread and Butter Thing, Family Action, Community Grocery (The Message Trust), The Scottish Pantry Network and FoodSavers Network (Inn Churches).

It has launched with a new report, Good Food In Every Postcode, highlighting the impact that Pantries and similar affordable food clubs (AFCs) are having across a range of issues.

Liam Purcell, chief executive of Church Action on Poverty, said the partnership and its new report could be a turning point for thousands of communities across the UK.

The report brings together evidence from all the organisations’ networks across thousands of households, and gives a clear evidence base for why affordable food clubs should be recognised and supported as part of a wider response to food insecurity.

It was launched at a Westminster event attended by Stephen Morgan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

More than 4,000 members and users of Pantries and other AFCs were surveyed and interviewed for the new report.

The research found:

77% of respondents agreed AFCs helped them feel closer to their community
72% were able to afford more well-balanced meals thanks to AFCs
75% are less worried or stressed about being able to afford or access food, since joining an AFC
67% are eating more fresh fruit and vegetables
74% have accessed at least one form of wrap-around support provided by AFCs, showing food acts as a gateway to a wider range of services and activities
Among people who had previously used a food bank, 63% have been able to stop or reduce their use of food banks by using an AFC

Liam Purcell, chief executive of Church Action on Poverty, said: “Pantries are wonderful places that bring neighbourhoods together, improve dignified access to food, counter many challenges that people face, and enable people to do more as communities. This important report should shape Government thinking about how it invests in communities. There are few better ways to address multiple issues all at once: loneliness, food insecurity, physical and mental health challenges, isolation and social disconnection.

“We’re delighted to be part of the new Affordable Food Alliance. By sharing our collective strengths, this can be a turning point for community food provision for thousands of communities, and it will ensure that the churches, local Pantry hosts and Pantry members will be heard more strongly in important national discussions.”

The Government recently announced £10 million funding as part of the Good Food Neighbourhoods programme, and AFCs are especially well placed to reduce the need for emergency food provision, improve public health outcomes, strengthen communities and help families become more financially resilient for the long-term.

The Good Food In Every Postcode report concludes that Affordable Food Clubs are not simply places that address immediate need, but positive community spaces that create opportunities, foster connections and improve quality of life for individuals and families.

Andrew Forsey, director of Feeding Britain, said: “Affordable food provision can do far more than help people access low-cost food. It can strengthen financial resilience, improve wellbeing and connect people to opportunities that support lasting change.

“We welcome the government’s latest funding announcement as part of the Good Food Neighbourhoods programme and we want policymakers to recognise Affordable Food Clubs as an essential part of a modern, preventative approach to tackling food insecurity and ensuring everyone has access to good food in their community.”

Stephen Morgan MP said: “The £10m funding announced as part of the Government’s Good Food Neighbourhoods programme will help support community-led projects such as community food shops, mobile greengrocers, lunch clubs, community kitchens, and cooking and nutrition programmes across England, helping to improve access to affordable food.

“I welcome this new report from the Affordable Food Alliance, which clearly demonstrates the significant benefits that affordable food clubs provide for people and communities, and I look forward to continuing to work together and alongside local authorities to develop solutions that meet local needs, putting decision-making and resources directly in the hands of local leaders who know their communities best.”