Everton’s Aurora Galli and Nathalie Björn visited Everton in the Community’s Blue Base Pantry on Thursday morning to witness first-hand how it provides a vital lifeline to more than 100 families each week. 

The Everton Women pair volunteered at the charity’s pantry in L4 where they helped set up stalls and distribute food and essential items to the pantry’s members. 

Both players also chatted to staff, volunteers and members accessing the pantry to gain an insight into the pantry’s concept and how it’s providing further support with financial and housing guidance, as well as physical and wellbeing activities.

Launched earlier this year, the Blue Base Pantry aims to tackle food insecurity by providing the L4 community access to a wide range of top-quality food in return for a small subscription fee. 

The pantry offers supplementary shopping for families who may feel more comfortable using the service as opposed to a foodbank, with affordable produce available to maintain the shopping experience.  

Both players were experiencing their first visit to an Everton in the Community project since switching to Merseyside in 2021, and were left humbled by the charity’s work.  

“It was amazing to be here today - I really enjoyed it,” said Björn post-event. “It’s great to see Everton in the Community’s great work and I’ve really enjoyed meeting people. I don’t see a lot of people other than my team-mates or people at Finch Farm so it’s really refreshing seeing people!

“It’s amazing that you can take food which goes to waste, to people who need it. It looks like it works really well.” 

With support from Fans Supporting Foodbanks and Your Local Pantry, the Pantry, situated on Salop Street is supporting families who are either living within the Blue Base boundary, or who has a child who goes to school within the boundary.  

More recently, the pantry has this summer received backing from Everton in the Community’s National Citizen Service and its participants. Since the launch of its summer programme, 112 young people have raised over £1,500 as part of their social action project – with money raised funding some of the essential items available.

Senior Programme Manager, Adam Howard, added: “Since its launch in June, the pantry has provided a much-needed resource to hundreds of families living in the L4 area.  

“We’re aiming to remove the stigma that surrounds food insecurity by empowering our members to have a say in how it’s being run, and we hope both players have enjoyed the atmosphere and the community that we’ve built, today, and we’re really appreciative of their time.” 

Everton Women begin their 2022/23 campaign on Sunday 11 September at home to Leicester City at Walton Hall Park. Secure your ticket by clicking here. 

To find out more about Everton in the Community’s Blue Base Pantry, click here.