‘We all need each other’- Tony’s story
Tony is a Londoner who lives on the Old Kent Road. He worked as a security guard at the British museum for 22 years and is now retired. He’s a member of a Pantry in Brixton and goes there once a week on foot. The 3-mile walk takes about an hour. Being retired, he has the time for it and likes to get the exercise. Tony later takes the bus home with the food he buys at the Pantry.
Tony doesn’t consider himself a good cook. Cooking is something he does moreso out of necessity. He enjoys eating simple curries and will bulk out a tinned curry by adding veg like courgettes that he gets at the Pantry. As well as making the curry last longer, he like that they add extra vitamins as well. Tony enjoys getting creative in the kitchen, adding nutrition and flavour to excite the tastebuds. He experiments with items he gets at the Pantry like celery, which he adds to lots of dishes. As he says, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” He feels his tastebuds have woken up a bit since he’s been a member of the Pantry.
Tony thinks it’s good that food that might normally be thrown away just because it’s got a few marks on it or it’s nearing the sell by date is donated to the Pantry. For him, people on low incomes don’t pay too much attention to best before dates. These dates are more of a legal thing to protect the food manufacturer. It’s better to trust your eyes and nose when it comes to telling if you should eat something or not.
Tony heard about the Pantry from Carla. One day when he was looking through the books at a street book library on Somerleyton road in Brixton, Carla passed by and suggested he come and check out to the Panty. He did and he now loves it. Not just for the food and cooking ideas, but also for the community feeling and the wonderful volunteers who he describes as angels. They are always willing to help and are really nice and caring. And he loves the superb cakes made by Michelle and another lady. Tony says he is very isolated at home. He doesn’t get any visitors to his flat but after he’s been to the Pantry he feels filled up with people and social contact. It’s a very special place where everyone feels welcome. Having this regular feeling of connection and community gives you the confidence to do other things from one Pantry meeting to the next.
With other organisations, particularly flashy corporate ones, Tony finds they lack heart and soul. The Pantry volunteers have enormous respect for each other and create a wonderful environment. They go above and beyond what’s expected of them. If Tony were mayor of London, he'd give them all medals. Jane is particularly fantastic at chatting and making everyone feel comfortable. And even if she doesn’t know you’re having a bad day, she can come over to give you a hug and you forget about your worries.
Tony finds it’s important to give back what you can to organisations. If people make an effort and give a little bit of their time or even a smile, everyone benefits. He’s a creature of habit who likes to sit in the same place every time he comes to the Pantry. He meets different people each time though and enjoys the camaraderie between members as well. The spirit of humanity is kept alive by the size of the Pantry and its connection to the local community. Everyone involved lives locally, which he thinks makes a huge difference.
Tony describes the Pantry atmosphere as nice and relaxed. It’s a great size, allowing for that individual touch which is really important. He often arrives early and there’s also an air of expectation as you wait. There’s always something different available at the Pantry, so you’re not quite sure what’ll be on offer each week! You enjoy what you get and with the money you have left over you can add to it and get creative. He likes the variety of items on offer. It makes him think of the Spice of Life. “Maybe this could be a new name for the Pantry!”
He’d more than recommend the Pantry, he’d make it mandatory for people in his situation to join it as it brings so much to your life. Tony would like to extend a huge thanks to Liz who runs the Pantry he goes to. And also, Michelle, Miss P, Emma and the many others whose names he can’t remember. For him, the volunteers are a harmonious team, worldly wise, and very professional without being slick. They make it look easy and without them it wouldn’t work at all. Pantry members have a lot to be grateful for, he believes. It’s all about food, company, relationships and reciprocity. “We all need each other.”