Fratton Together CIC

Fratton Together CIC opened a Community Pantry in Fratton in August 2024. The local community benefit by being able to buy food at the Pantry as discounted prices. For a fee of £5 people living in the Fratton post codes area can buy goods worth approximately £25, a potential annual saving of £1,000+ a year. In the first 7 months of operation we have built up a membership of over 200 households with approximately 720 visits. The Pantry also provides a comfortable social space where people can meet . The company has provided free advice sessions on issues including money management, debt, legal issues and nutrition and signposted people to other support organisations. In addition we raise funds to provide arts workshop facilities with a programme of free participatory creative activities for local families . We organise a programme of free or low-cost high-quality arts and cultural events and community celebrations. The Community benefits by enjoying arts and creative activities and attending events that they would not normally be able to afford. High quality arts and cultural events and community-based celebrations involving the local diverse population bring people together to create a sense of a shared neighbourhood and pride in their community as well as supporting community cohesion. The activities impact positively on issues of well-being and mental health among people of all ages, giving confidence, mutual support, pleasure and fun for all the people of Fratton. During 2024/25 we ran 20 free creative workshop attended by 422 local people, 466 schoolchildren attended events we organised and approximately 1000 people took part in the Lantern Parade. The Fratton Family Festival was held in the grounds of St Mary’s Church in September, attended by approximately 500 people