The Dukinfield Pantry, a local pantry providing affordable food for residents, worked with Action Together Tameside and gained their prestigious Quality in Action award.
The award recognises voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations in Tameside, Rochdale and Oldham that demonstrate commitment to high quality practice.
John McGlynn, Jigsaw’s Neighbourhood Engagement Officer, got in touch with the organisation earlier this year to understand how the award could be beneficial to the future stability of the pantry.
Volunteers worked with Jonathan King, Development Officer at Action Together, to receive practical advice, resources and support to develop the right policies and procedures to meet the criteria.
Elizabeth Lees, volunteer at the pantry, said: “It is with the greatest honour that we receive our Quality in Action Award from Action Together this week. A lot of hard work has gone into achieving this recognition of which could not have been possible without the dedication and attention to detail of Jonathan King.
“We owe Jonathan massive gratitude and praise for all his commitment in helping us over the past 12 months. This award means we now have all the qualifications, policies and assurances in place to apply for future funding to continue our vital work in the community”.
John McGlynn said: “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication that the volunteers have applied. Week in and week out they provide a vital service to the many residents of Tameside who can access and buy affordable food at the pantry.
“By gaining the award they are now in a much stronger position by having important, robust policies and procedures in place to carry out their work in our neighbourhood and support families in need”.
