Food banks, food pantries and other food help
As the cost of living increases, it can be hard to afford food.
This page lists food banks, food pantries and other kinds of food help available in Southwark. Below, you can find food help by area, or you can look for food help by type. You can also:
- visit the Southwark Food Action Alliance's food map (this map is independent of Southwark Council and we cannot verify that the information on it is accurate)
- read our information on help to get food if you can't access it
- find out how to cut down your food waste
How to use a food bank
You usually need to be referred by an organisation to use food bank services. To access a food bank, or if you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help with food, contact the Southwark Community Support Alliance.
They will be able to organise food banks or shopping help and can link you up to help and support in the community. Your information will not be shared with other partners unless this is necessary and you have given your consent.
Find food help by type
Food banks
Food pantries
Free food: meals, cafés and takeaways
What are food banks?
Food banks are run by community organisations. They collect donations of non-perishable food and give it out as emergency aid to members of the public who are experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity, or people who have no recourse to public funds.
We work closely with the following organisations:
-
Pecan, a major community development charity in the borough, runs various programmes including Southwark Foodbank and Peckham Pantry; Southwark Foodbank operates on a voucher and referral system
- Spring Community Hub, a major charity in the borough, supports the local community by tackling food insecurity; food bank sessions are run five days a week across several locations that work on a voucher referral system
We also work with some independent food banks.
To access a food bank, contact the Southwark Community Support Alliance.
What are food pantries?
Food pantries are shops that provide low-cost food. To use a food pantry you need to become a member. Members can buy a variety of healthy foods at a subsidised price. Membership tends to cost around £4 per shop, which allows you to get around £15 of food.
Find by area
Bermondsey, Borough and Rotherhithe
New Covenant Church - food bank
Love North Southwark: Bermondsey Pantry - food pantry
The Borough Food Co-operative - food pantry
Hope Tuesday Cafe - free food
Manna Centre - free food
Webber Street Day Centre - free food
Peckham and Camberwell
Spring Community Hub - Wilson Road - food bank
Peckham Pantry, Peckham Park Road (Pecan) - food pantry
Peckham Pantry, St Luke's Church (Pecan) - food pantry
Camberwell Pantry - food pantry
All Saints Church Cafe - free food
Foodcycle Peckham - free food
Dulwich and Nunhead
Paxton Green time bank: Paxton Pantry - food pantry
Walworth and Elephant & Castle
St. Paul's Church - food bank
Foursquare Church - food bank
Holy Trinity with St. Matthew - food bank
Castle Canteen - free food
Walworth Living Room - free food
Food banks
Foursquare Church
117 Walworth Road SE17 1RW (find the Foursquare Church food bank on Google Maps)
Open Mondays 1pm to 3pm
Email Spring Community Hub about the Foursquare Church food bank or call 07901 617 189
New Covenant Church
506 to 510 Old Kent Road, SE1 5BA (find the New Covenant Church food bank on Google Maps)
Open Tuesdays 12 noon to 2pm
Email Spring Community Hub about the Covenant Church food bank or call 07901 617 189
St Paul's Church
4 Lorrimore Square, SE17 3QU (find the St Paul's Church food bank on Google Maps)
Open Wednesdays 11.30am to 1.30pm
Email Spring Community Hub about the St Paul's Church food bank or call 07901 617 189
Spring Community Hub - Wilson Road
1 Wilson Road, Modular Building, SE5 8LU (find the Spring Community Hub food bank on Google Maps)
Open Thursdays and Fridays 10am to 1pm
Email Spring Community Hub about their Wilson Road food bank or call 07901 617 189
Holy Trinity with St. Matthew
This foodbank mainly works with Spanish speaking people with no recourse to public funds
Meadow Row, SE1 6RG (find Holy Trinity with St. Matthew on Google Maps)
Open Saturdays 10am to 2pm (by appointment only)
Email Holy Trinity with St. Matthew or call 07412 094677 or 07759 788340
Food pantries
Peckham Pantry, Peckham Park Road (Pecan)
49-53 Peckham Park Road SE15 6TU (find Peckham Pantry, Peckham Park Road food pantry on Google Maps)
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 4pm, Tuesday 11am to 4pm and Thursday 10am to 7pm.
Email Peckham Pantry about the Peckham Park Road food pantry or call 020 7277 7075
Peckham Pantry, St Luke's Church (Pecan)
St Luke’s Church, Chandler Way SE15 6DT (find Peckham Pantry, St. Luke's Church food pantry on Google Maps)
Open Wednesdays 11am to 3pm
Email Peckham Pantry about the St. Luke's Church food pantry or call 020 7277 7075
Love North Southwark: Bermondsey Pantry
4-5 Slippers Place, Gataker Street SE16 2EN (find the Love North Southwark Bermondsey Pantry on Google Maps)
Open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm (by appointment only)
Email Love North Southwark about the Bermondsey Pantry or call 07730 465 160
The Borough Food Co-operative
St George the Martyr Church, Borough High Street SE1 1JA (find The Borough Food Co-operative food pantry on Google Maps)
Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 11am to 3pm.
Email the Borough Food Co-operative about their food pantry
Paxton Green time bank: Paxton Pantry
Unit 32 Seeley Drive, Kingswood Estate SE21 8QR (find the Paxton Pantry on Google Maps)
Open Tuesdays 12 noon to 4pm
Email the Paxton Green time bank about the Paxton Pantry
Camberwell Pantry
64 Camberwell Church St, SE5 8QZ (find the Camberwell Pantry on Google Maps)
Opening hours:
- Monday 9.30am to 3.30pm
- Wednesday 11am to 2.30pm
- Thursday 10am to 2.30pm
- Friday 11am to 3pm
Free food: meals, cafés and takeaways
Hope Tuesday Café
City Hope Church, 121 Drummond Road, Bermondsey SE16 2JY (find Hope Tuesday Café on Google Maps)
Open Tuesdays 1pm to 3pm.
Open to all; tea, coffee and hot meal served at 1pm (cold buffet-style food served during periods of hot weather). Social activity including quizzes planned after lunch with tea, coffee and cake.
Email City Hope London or call 020 7993 3934
All Saints Church Café
All Saints Church, 8 Blenheim Grove, Peckham SE15 4QS: café is in the main church, not the hall (find All Saints Church Café on Google Maps)
Open to all; community café providing tea, coffee and cakes. Also other activities and free wifi.
Open Tuesdays from 9:30am to 11am
Email All Saints Church Cafe, Visit the All Saints Church Cafe website, or call 020 3637 2701.
Castle Canteen
Crossways Church Hall, 18 Hampton Street, SE17 3AL (find Castle Canteen on Google Maps)
Open to all (free, but £1 donations are welcome). Community canteen; hot vegetarian meal cooked on site.
Open Mondays from 1pm to 2:30pm
Visit the Be-enriched canteen website, email Be-enriched canteens or call 07397 288160 (Monday to Thursday 10am to 5.30pm)
Manna Centre
12 Melior Street, London Bridge SE1 3QP (find Manna Centre on Google Maps)
Open to all, especially people who are homeless
Provides breakfast and lunch (showers, clothing, housing and welfare advice and medical care also provided)
Open Monday to Sunday 8:30am to 1:30pm
Visit the Manna Society website, email the Manna Society about the Manna Centre or call 020 7357 9363
Foodcycle Peckham
All Saints Church Hall, 7 Blenheim Grove, Peckham SE21 8QR (find Foodcycle Peckham on Google Maps)
Open to all; sit-in community meals including hot vegetarian meals cooked on-site
Open Wednesdays at 5pm and Saturdays at 5:30pm
Email Foodcycle Peckham, visit the Foodcycle Peckham website or call 020 7729 2775
Webber Street Day Centre
6-8 Webber Street, Waterloo SE1 8QA (find Webber Street Day Centre on Google Maps)
For rough sleepers, homeless people and other vulnerable people in the local area. Over 18s only.
Provides a sit-down breakfast (Monday to Thursday and Saturday 8:30am to 12 noon), lunch (Monday to Wednesday at 1pm), clothing, toiletries and advice. Drop-in sessions are run on Fridays from 9am to 12 noon. Closed every first Wednesday of every month.
Visit the Webber Street Day Centre website, email Webber Street Day Centre or call 020 7928 1677
Walworth Living Room
All Saints Hall, Surrey Square, Walworth SE17 2JU (find Walworth Living Room on Google Maps)
Open to all.
A warm welcome: cafe, community fridge & social activities. Some activities are free, others are low-cost.
Open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 3pm.
Visit the Walworth Living Room website, email Pembroke House about the Walworth Living Room or call 020 7703 3808
Page last updated: 21 August 2023
