If you are struggling with the cost of food, or would like a hot meal, there are services in Portsmouth that are here to help.
Help with food
Food banks
Food banks provide around 3 days food for your whole household if you can’t afford to buy food. Some food banks need a referral, and some can help you without being referred.
If you need a referral, your support worker or school may be able to refer you, but if not, contact Advice Portsmouth (open Monday to Friday) – call 023 9279 4340, text 07789 550593 or email advice.portsmouth@theyoutrust.org.uk
You can also contact your local housing office if you are a city council tenant. Or drop in to Salvation Army Southsea at 84 Albert Road, PO5 2SN, on Monday, Wednesday or Friday.
| Day/Time | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 11am-1pm | Kings Church Hall, Fraser Road, PO5 4QA | Food bank voucher or e-referral required 3-day food parcel |
| Tuesday 1-3pm | Haven Community Centre, Lake Road, PO1 4HA | One-off emergency food parcel To receive a food parcel, you must show proof of ID including name and address |
| Wednesday 11am-1pm | Kings Church Hall, Fraser Road, PO5 4QA | Food bank voucher or e-referral required 3-day food parcel |
| Deliveries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays | Caring Hands Foodbank is not open to visitors, all food parcels are home delivered | For families with children. Caring Hands food bank voucher or email referral required. Information about how to get a referral can be found in the 'Foodbanks' section. 3-day food parcel - Home delivery |
Thursday 11am-12pm | Harbour Church, St. George's Square, PO1 3AT | Food bank voucher or e-referral required 3-day food parcel |
| Thursday 12-2pm | Paulsgrove Baptist Church, Woofferton Road, PO6 4DW | Food bank voucher required 3-day food parcel |
| Friday 10am-12pm | Haven Community Centre, Lake Road, PO1 4HA | One-off emergency food parcel. To receive a food parcel, you must show proof of ID including name and address |
| Friday 11am-1pm | Kings Church Hall, Fraser Road, PO5 4QA | Food bank voucher or e-referral required 3-day food parcel |
Free hot meals and prepared food for people in need
Anyone who needs a hot meal can visit any of the services listed below. No referral needed.
| Day/Time | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 5.30-7pm | St. Simon's Church, Waverley Road, PO5 2PW | Sit-down meal, hot drinks, cakes, small food parcel. Arrive by 6pm |
| Sunday, 12-1pm | St. Swithun's, Waverley Road, PO5 2PL (entrance via car park) | Takeaway lunch and hot drink |
| Monday, 5.30-6.30pm | Harbour Church at All Saints Church, 334 Commercial Road, PO1 4BT | Eat in or takeaway |
| Tuesday, 10.30am-1pm (arrive by 11am) | InSight, Discovery Centre @ St John's Cathedral, entrance via the car park, Bishop Crispian Way, PO1 3QA | Community group with two-course hot meal |
| Wednesday, 9am Service suspended until 15 March due to building works. | LifeHouse, Harold Road, PO4 0JW (just off Albert Road) | Free hot breakfast Food parcels and other essentials are also available |
| Wednesday, 6pm | FoodCycle, John Pounds Centre, 23 Queen Street, PO1 3HN | Sit-down meal - tasty food and good company |
| Wednesday, 5-7pm | Buckland soup kitchen, 174 Kingston Road, PO2 7LP (Queens Road entrance) | Hot drinks served 5-7pm Hot takeaway meals served 6-7pm |
| Thursday, 6pm | LifeHouse, Harold Road, PO4 0JW (just off Albert Road) | Hot dinner (eat in) Food parcels and other essentials are also available |
| Friday, 8-10pm | Friday Fridge @ St Jude's Church, Kent Road, PO5 3EL (by Palmerston Road precinct) | Hot sandwiches and hot drink (eat in) |
The Portsmouth Rough Sleeping Hub is open 7 days a week from 8am-4pm. Anyone sleeping rough, or at risk of becoming homeless, can access practical support. You can book an appointment in person, or by telephone.
- Address: Kingsway House, 130 Elm Grove, Portsmouth PO5 1LR
- Email: portsmouth.dayservices@ssj.org.uk
- Phone: 023 9288 2689
Other food options
Baffins Community Pantry
If you live in the Baffins Ward (in PO3 or PO4) and you’re worried about the cost of living and need to reduce your food bills, join Baffins Community Pantry.
Membership is free. To request a membership form, email baffinspantry@gmail.com or call 07557 339467. Or you can drop in during our opening times to join. Proof of your address will be needed on your first visit.
£5.00 per visit, maximum of one visit per week.
Open to members to shop with us at First Floor, St Cuthbert’s Community Centre, Hayling Avenue, PO3 6EA, on the following days:
- Monday 10am – noon
- Friday 4pm – 6pm
Cosham Community Larder
Pay £1 per year to become a member, then pay just £3 for a bag of groceries when you shop. Open to anyone living in the Cosham, Paulsgrove or Wymering area.
Join Cosham Community Larder online, then complete your membership the first time you visit the shop, which is open to members on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am-2pm.
Landport Larder
The Larder is open at Landport Community Centre every Tuesday from 9:00am-12:00 noon, offering a range of tinned, boxed, fresh, chilled and frozen foods which vary weekly based on the supply from Fare Share.
Local residents can join the scheme for just £1 and buy 10 items for £3.50 (where the equivalent basket at the supermarket would be approximately £15). We ask customers to bring their own carry bags to take their purchases away.
North End Pantry
For a weekly cost of £4, members of The North End Pantry in Portsmouth will be able to choose a selection of food with a value of £15 – £20 each week.
The pantry is here to help residents in the North End area to top up their weekly shop. Get fresh fruit and veg, store cupboard favourites, bread and dairy products.
Open to members at North End Baptist Church, 195 Powerscourt Road, PO2 7JH on
- Monday 4.30pm – 5.30pm
- Tuesday 4pm – 6pm
- Thursday 1pm – 3pm
- Friday 10am -12pm
Membership is open to anyone living in PO2 and PO3.
To join, drop in to the Pantry during opening hours, or sign up online.
Oasis Pantry
For a small membership fee of £4.50 each week that you shop, members of the Portsmouth Oasis Pantry in Landport can do a weekly food shop for fresh fruit and vegetables and family favourites to stock up the cupboard and fridge. Find more information and contact details for Oasis Pantry.
Open to members every Friday, 11am-1.30pm.
Paulsgrove Food Pantry
Any resident from Paulsgrove or Wymering with a PO6 postcode can sign up to become a member of the Paulsgrove Food Pantry.
For £4, members can get a decent weekly shop at the Food Pantry. One shop per week, 10 items per shop.
Membership costs £1 and proof of address is required to join.
Open to members at Paulsgrove Community Centre, Marsden Rd, PO6 4JB on
- Monday 4.00pm – 6.00pm
- Thursday 11.00am – 1.00pm
Portsea Pantry
Portsea Pantry, based in the John Pounds Centre, Portsea, is offering groceries for a nominal fee to local families.
For a weekly subscription of £4, members can buy a weekly food shop including fresh fruit and vegetables, tasty treats, and frozen, chilled and tinned goods.
Open to members at John Pounds Centre, 23 Queen St, PO1 3HN on
- Tuesday 10.00am – 12.00noon
- Thursday 4.00pm – 6.00pm
Portsea Pantry is open to any residents whose first four digits of their postcode are PO1 3–. Proof of address is needed on your first visit.
To join, sign up online.
If you can’t get online, you can sign up in person. Call 07393 590 078 to check opening times.
St Mag’s Pantry
For a weekly cost of £4.50, St Mag’s Pantry members can choose a selection of fresh, chilled, frozen and ambient food with a supermarket value of approximately £15-£20.
The Pantry is here to help residents of Southsea, primarily postcode PO4, toward a full weekly shop. We hope to deliver fruit and vegetable items for free.
Open to members to shop with us at St Margaret’s Community Church, Highland Road, PO4 9DD, on the following days:
- Monday 3pm-4.30pm
- Tuesday 4pm-5.30pm
- Wednesday 10am-11.30am
If you want to join sign up using this link. If you have any questions, contact Pantry@stmagscc.uk or call 023 9435 1995.
Trash Café
The Trash Café Network works with food businesses to stop food waste. They put together fantastic food hampers at amazing value. Order before 8pm for collection or delivery the following day.
Trash Café offer delivery of hampers to PO postcodes (excluding Isle of Wight) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, or collection from Buckland Community Centre (by appointment) on Wednesdays.
Reducing food waste
Find information and tips to help you get more from the food you buy and to help you reduce food waste
Olio surplus food app
OLIO connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. This could be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables, bread from your baker, or the groceries in your fridge when you go away. For your convenience, OLIO can also be used for non-food household items, too.
To find out more, download the free app to your smartphone using Google Play or Apple Store.