Client: Co-op & Your Local Pantry
Event: Aylesham Pantry Community Day
Location: Aylesham, UK
Objective: Promote community engagement, increase volunteer participation, and celebrate the 100th Your Local Pantry partnership with Co-op.
Background
The Aylesham Pantry, supported by Co-op, serves a deprived UK area, providing affordable food and reducing waste. To mark the 100th pantry launch, Co-op partnered with fresh to organise a community event that celebrated the milestone, promoted pantry benefits, and encouraged volunteer sign-ups.
Objectives and Challenges
Goals:
- Promote Volunteering: Recruit new volunteers to extend pantry hours.
- Build Community: Create a welcoming celebration.
- Highlight Sustainability: Educate attendees about reducing food waste.
Challenges:
- Tight timeline: Planned within six weeks.
- Digital barriers: Older attendees preferred paper RSVPs.
- Logistics: Managing cooking for 100+ attendees.
Solution and Execution
The event featured a cooking demo by chef Miguel Barclay, local entertainment, and a community recipe competition. To overcome digital barriers, paper RSVPs and competition forms were introduced, improving participation.
Outcome and Impact
- Volunteer Sign-Ups: Two new volunteers helped extend pantry hours.
- Increased Engagement: 97 attendees, including 45 Co-op members, with six new sign-ups.
- Positive Coverage: Media and social posts reached 45,000 impressions.
- Sustainability: Attendees contributed to a community garden and learned sustainable food practices.
Conclusion
The Aylesham Pantry Community Day fostered pride and strengthened community ties, emphasising food sustainability, collaboration, and volunteerism. The event successfully celebrated the 100th pantry milestone, demonstrating the power of thoughtful event planning in making a meaningful community impact.