Are you considering taking part in this year’s Ealing Half Marathon? Or looking for a good cause to support, or keen to help others in the community? Well, there is a great way you can do both.

The Store Cupboard is an affordable food shop in Ealing set up by volunteers of The William Hobbayne Charity in Hanwell.

It has joined forces with the Ealing Half Marathon team to offer free race places to local people who are willing to run and help raise money for The Store Cupboard.

As you may have seen recently, the Ealing Half also needs entrants to safeguard its future because of the financial effects of COVID-19 on its events and called for ambassadors to volunteer.

What is The Store Cupboard all about?

The charity has worked with Ealing Council’s Ealing Together programme over the past year and more to support vulnerable residents during the coronavirus pandemic. Volunteers wanted to do more when lockdown restrictions eased and decided to set up a retail-type store to help those in need.

It offers fresh and chilled food and store cupboard staples to those in the community who are struggling. All of the food is donated by food charities and local people. By utilising this food, it also helps to avoid letting perfectly good food to waste.

Members shop for their food in a normal retail environment, so this not only offers choice and dignity but also helps to minimise the effects of social isolation. While The Store Cupboard cannot help everyone, it does aim to provide a breathing space for those who may be struggling.

The team behind the project work with people referred by agencies and charities who are assisting vulnerable families in financial crisis. The shop works on a membership basis and members pay £3.50 a week for food worth approximately £25 – with free fresh fruit, vegetables, and bread.

Get involved and join up for the Ealing Half

If you would like to support The Store Cupboard and run the Ealing Half Marathon you will be provided with a free ticket and a Store Cupboard running shirt – in return you are each asked to use the race to raise £300 for The Store Cupboard.

Sharon Averill said: “On behalf of everyone at The Store Cupboard, we are delighted to be entering a team into this year’s Ealing Half Marathon. The funds raised will really help us provide affordable food and bridge the gap for those going through a tough time. It’s great to be working with the guys at Ealing Half, which is such a prominent local event; and I hope lots of people come forward to join us so that this scheme can show, once again, the fantastic ‘Ealing Together’ community spirit shown across the borough throughout the pandemic.”

If you are up for joining, drop an email to info@store-cupboard.co.uk by the deadline of 16 July (2021).

If you are not a runner you can also find ways to support The Store Cupboard via its website. You can also find it on Twitter and on Facebook.

Unfortunately, The Store Cupboard is unable to take direct referrals and has a waiting list for referral partners.