Food Security

What they do
Redistribute surplus food and build community resilience through shared activities.

Location
Cirencester

Categories
Food support • Sustainability • Community wellbeing

Overview
Cirencester Pantry rescues surplus food to support over 90 households, reducing waste and providing social activities like coffee mornings, craft sessions and gardening. Volunteers also carry out benefit checks, helping people access unclaimed support.

Activities

- Weekly pantry sessions
- Coffee mornings and craft groups
- Benefit check support

What they do
Support vulnerable people with food and connection, now evolving into a charity.

Location
Cotswolds wide

Categories
Food support • Wellbeing • Community care

Overview
From its beginnings helping people experiencing homelessness, Food For Thought now supports older or vulnerable residents needing safe spaces and connection, working closely with Cirencester Signpost.

Activities

- Community food support
- Safe social spaces
- Partnership work

What they do
Grow fruit and vegetables collaboratively to promote healthy food and sustainability.

Location
Malmesbury

Categories
Food growing • Sustainability • Wellbeing

Overview
Fruitful Malmesbury creates and cares for community orchards and food-growing spaces, supporting wellbeing and sustainability through shared cultivation and harvest activities.

Activities

- Community orchard planting
- Shared harvest events
- Growing workshops

What they do
Grow sustainable food while inspiring people to learn about regenerative farming and agroecology.

Location
Cirencester

Categories
Nature & Climate • Food security • Education

Overview
GREAT Market Garden is an agroecological market garden and teaching space managed by FWAG South West. It produces sustainable food for local communities while providing learning opportunities that promote regenerative growing and environmental sustainability.

Activities

- Growing sustainable, locally produced food
- Agroecology and regenerative farming workshops
- Community volunteering opportunities
- Environmental education and skills development

What they do
Provide emergency food and wider support for people in crisis.

Location
Malmesbury & Cricklade

Categories
Foodbank • Crisis support • Community partnership

Overview
Operating four sessions a week across Malmesbury and Cricklade, this foodbank offers three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food to people referred in crisis. They also work with local partners to reduce future need.

Activities

- Emergency food provision
- Partnership referrals
- Volunteer support roles

What they do
Provide emergency food and practical support to people facing crisis or financial hardship.

Location
Cirencester and beyond (GL7, GL8 and GL54)

Categories
Community support • Food • Wellbeing

Overview
South Cotswolds Foodbank works with local organisations to ensure support reaches those who need it most. Alongside emergency food parcels, they help people address the underlying causes of hardship and build longer-term financial resilience.

Activities
- Emergency food parcels and essentials
- Referrals through local support organisations
- Advice on benefits and debt support
- Signposting to wider local services