Ipswich Willows Primary School opens pantry to help support

The Willows Primary School in Downing Close, part of the Orwell Multi Academy Trust, is offering parents the chance to use their new pantry.

The pantry is filled with a range of food including canned goods, rice, pastas, sauces and cereals.

The Willows Primary School (Image: Google Maps)

It also features school uniform that people can go and get for free, as well as books and bedding.

MORE: The Willows Primary School in Ipswich receives Ofsted rating

The pantry is located in a separate building in the school and it officially opened at the start of the week after food was collected for Harvest Festival on Friday, October 4.

A before picture of the pantry, prior to harvest (Image: Submitted) An after shot of the pantry (Image: Submitted)

The school hopes to open the pantry to everyone within the school community to access 24 hours a day, once they have managed to source a shed and gain funding to purchase more food.

Kelly Head, the school's headteacher, said: "We want our school to be at the heart of the community it serves, and we know that for some of our families the rising costs of life’s basics (food, heat, clothing) have made things very difficult recently.

"To try and meet this need we decided to trial a pantry using our Harvest donations, and we were overwhelmed by the generosity of many within the school family who wanted to support each other.

"We opened our pantry for two sessions this week and were pleased to welcome lots of 'shoppers'.

"Longer term we are looking to have an open access pantry so those who want to give or receive will be able to do so at any time, not just when school staff are available.

"As well as food items and a clothing exchange, we hope to include a mini library to further promote the love of reading we try to instil in every child in our school."

An after shot of the pantry (Image: Submitted)