Musselburgh Community Pantry receives £1,500 from Tesco

Musselburgh Community Pantry, based in Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre, will use the money for healthy food that it will sell at a low price.

The pantry welcomes customers who can buy food for a small amount of money depending on their budget and choice.

Run entirely by volunteers, the pantry has been working to help people struggling to buy food since 2023.

It applied for the funding from the supermarket giant as part of its 'Stronger Starts' programme.

This grant will help it keep buying food like fruit, vegetables and eggs.

Christine Schaffer from Musselburgh Community Pantry said: "The funding we received from Tesco has allowed us to purchase a surplus of healthy food items that typically come at a higher cost, such as eggs, fruit and vegetables, and allows us to sell them at a lower price.

"We aim to ensure that every member of the community knows that if they need food items, we are there to support them without judgement."

She added: "On behalf of everyone at the pantry, we’d like to thank all of the team at Tesco for helping us continue our vital project."

Claire DeSilva, head of community at Tesco, said: "At Tesco, we believe it’s incredibly important to support local schools, community groups and charities throughout Scotland, including in and around East Lothian.

"We hope this funding will help to make a difference to the people of Musselburgh who rely on the pantry and reduce the stress that can be caused by the cost of providing healthy, home-cooked meals for families."