St Helens-based chaplaincy’s bid for Government funding to help deliver a brand-new mobile community food pantry across the borough has met success.

Mission in the Economy (MitE) will now receive £124,842 of funding to support the St Helens Mobile Community Food Pantry project via the Faith New Deal Fund, it was recently announced.

Overseen by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, the Faith New Deal Fund is a new, competitive grant programme that will provide £1.3 million to faith-based groups across the country to help them pilot community initiatives in partnership with local service providers.

MitE’s proposal was put forward on behalf of the St Helens Food Alliance group of local voluntary organisations, which under the leadership of St Helens & Halton VCA seeks to tackle food poverty and insecurity throughout the borough.

As bills, prices and the cost of living rockets, campaigners argue the provision will be significant and is genuinely needed.

From the outset, the pantry bid received strong backing from St Helens Council and St Helens North MP Conor McGinn, who in June lobbied Ministers directly to accept the plans amid decision-making delays in Government.

MitE is one of just sixteen organisations to be granted the funding, and their bid comprises the second largest grant awarded.

It is a fantastic local achievement, particularly as the Government had, in its own words, received a “large number of applications” as part of the process.

It is hoped that the mobile pantry project will be launched in January 2023.

Welcoming the news, Dr Emma Howarth, Director of Operations at Mission in the Economy, said:

“Mission in the Economy are absolutely thrilled that we have been granted one of the 16 successful funding bids for the Faith New Deal Pilot fund.

“This funding will provide a mobile pantry St Helens that will support the three static food pantries already in place and the two that are about to be launched.  St Helens Food Alliance is a strong partnership of foodbanks and food pantries working across the Borough and the mobile pantry will ensure that the provision can reach the communities that need it most.

“Mission in the Economy represents the faith communities of St Helens and we are delighted to be working together with The Food Alliance, Torus Foundation and St Helens Borough Council to deliver this project.

“Working together is something that we do really well in St Helens, and this demonstrates the difference that we are making.”

Commenting, Conor McGinn MP said:

“I am delighted to see Mission in the Economy secure well-earned funding to make this important, timely community project a reality.

“Faith-based and voluntary groups are integral to who we are in St Helens and do immaculate work across the borough. Yet again, they are stepping up when our community most needs it with a spirit of generosity and solidarity that is typical of our people.

“I was proud to back this strong local bid, and I will keep up my work with political, community and faith leaders across St Helens Borough to help support our people and deliver the benefits that incredible projects like this can provide.”