Stories

Wed, 14 Oct 2026

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 'It's definitely tight trying to budget on maternity leave'

An estimated 47,500 people in Sheffield are unable to make ends meet and pay their bills.

* A community food pantry has opened in Woodseats, offering low-priced food and household staples for £1 membership fee, with items starting from just 50p.
* Sara Ody, 37, was among the first customers at the pantry, saying: "It's definitely tough. There's always a thought process, 'can we afford this? Do we have to sacrifice this to be able to afford food, childcare and clothes?'"
* The report estimates that 47,500 people in Sheffield have negative budgets, with poverty in the city predating the cost-of-living crisis.
* Children are particularly affected, with approximately one in three children in Sheffield living in poverty.
* John Lawson from The Message Trust said: "We opened here after seeing the need on the doorstep and the challenges that people are facing with the cost of living."
* The pantry offers a variety of food at a fraction of the cost of supermarkets and aims to bridge the gap between food banks and supermarkets.
* Customers Debbie Schofield, 44, said: "I think everybody's struggling with the cost of living... I like the concept of the community pantry. It brings neighbours together."
* The pantry is open to everyone, regardless of income or means testing, and offers a social space for people to come together and access healthy food and wraparound care.