New community pantry opens in Hyde

Sunflower Day Nurseries have teamed up with The Power of Resilience CIC to launch a new community pantry in Hyde.

Sunflower Day Nurseries, led by award-winning entrepreneur Elaine Sagar, has partnered with community champions The Power of Resilience CIC to launch a brand-new Community Pantry in the heart of Hyde. The pantry will officially open its doors on Friday 5th September at 10am at the Sunflower Day Nursery site on Victoria Street (SK14 4AA), with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Shibley Alam.

Designed to address food insecurity, reduce waste, and build stronger local connections, the pantry will operate on a "no questions, no forms" basis - ensuring a judgement-free, welcoming space for anyone in need. Visitors will be able to help themselves to a range of nutritious and surplus food items, thanks to generous donations from community partners including Aldi Denton and staffing specialists Bennett Staff.

Elaine Sagar, whose Sunflower Day Nurseries are renowned for their holistic approach to childcare and community support, sees the initiative as a natural extension: "We've been busy exploring ways of expanding our food projects in line with our Sustainable Sunflowers commitment. Now, we're stepping it up. Inspired by the brilliant Julie Mallinson and The Power of Resilience CIC, we're proud to build this collaboration and are rolling out their food pantry box models across our settings."

Elaine’s vision for the nursery group has long gone beyond early years education, placing equal emphasis on supporting families, neighbourhoods, and the wider community.

Joining her in the effort is Julie Mallinson, Executive Director of The Power of Resilience CIC, an organisation recently honoured as Community Interest Company of the Year for its innovative and hands-on approach to local resilience building: "We are thrilled to be working alongside Elaine and Sunflower Day Nurseries on such an important project. By combining our strengths, we can tackle food insecurity, reduce waste, and create a stronger, more resilient Hyde community."

The launch has been met with strong support from local businesses and individuals alike. Claire Wolstenholme MIRP and the team at Bennett Staff have pledged to move their food collections to the new pantry, bolstering its sustainability and reach.

With community at its core, this project marks a hopeful and practical step forward in addressing some of the most pressing issues facing local families.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10am on 5th September promises to be a celebration of unity, care, and local action, and all are welcome to attend.