Mum-of-one Pauline says Shap Primary School’s Sharing Shed is “invaluable” to her family. She volunteers there and often benefits from taking stock home too.

The initiative was set up by parent volunteers at the school, to receive deliveries that could be redistributed to families in need and help to bolster stock in the school’s kitchen.

“Life is a constant struggle to pay bills – the cost of living has risen sharply, and inflation has now outstripped my wages,” Pauline says. “I work 30 hours a week in the NHS and my husband is self-employed so his earnings can be unpredictable. So I’ve taken on two extra, informal jobs to help – babysitting, plus gardening for elderly neighbours.

“Against this background, The Sharing Shed is invaluable. I use the Shed myself, and volunteer at the weekends to collect surplus from local supermarkets to top up what comes from FareShare.

“The delivery from FareShare each week is amazing. There is a mix of useful, long-life products plus fresh fruit, veg and bread. I select a few products and leave a small donation for the school, then, if there are leftovers or plenty of fresh products, I let my elderly neighbours know to pop down too – they find it useful to batch cook and are happy to support the school. We’ll all compare who’s making what with the surplus food.

“I’ve made use of the second-hand school uniforms too, that’s saved me a lot of money. And I know the school give food parcels to families who they know are struggling which I think is great.

“I’ve found a friendly community amongst the other volunteers, and it feels good to contribute to school life, in a way that’s cost free and flexible. Sometimes I’m encouraged to take extra food in exchange for my time, so it’s another little bonus.”

To protect privacy, pictured above is a volunteer from one of our other member groups, New Day Church in Leyland