OVER the next few days we will be publishing our interviews with the winners at this year's Pride of St Helens Award.

We have a 16-page supplement of the awards night complete with all images and the interviews for sale in shops across St Helens inside last Thursday's St Helens Star, all costing just 80p.

The next award interview is that of Community Impact Award winner Sam O'Keefe, from St Matthew's Pantry.

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After seeing the rising number of people needing help in the community, mum-of-two Sam O’Keefe launched St Matthew’s Pantry in Thatto Heath two years ago.

Starting out as the first pantry in St Helens, it has grown to become the fifth busiest across the UK, although Sam and volunteers say that it is “so much more than a pantry”.

After “hearing a calling from God to feed his people”, Sam started the pantry as an affordable food shop where those most in need can access a variety of meals for £4 a week.

However, with 27 volunteers now helping at the pantry, it has since become a real community hub where people come to socialise or fight isolation and mental health struggles.

The group, who were shocked to even receive a Pride of St Helens award nomination, also collaborate with other local services to refer members to whatever help they may need.

Speaking to the Star, Sam said: “I felt that the need was there to start a pantry in the community, so we started to explore different options and models about how to take it forward.

“But it’s become so busy and so much more than a pantry since then, with people often queuing up for three hours to come in.

“Some people have said that they wouldn’t be able to live or feed their kids if it wasn’t for the pantry.”

Open at St Matthew’s Community centre in Thatto Heath twice a week, the pantry is recognised as being a vital community service following the difficulties of the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

With the pantry open and accessible to all, Sam and the team encourage anyone who is struggling to come along to receive support, or get involved in volunteering in the family-friendly environment.

Judges felt that all shortlisted nominees had made huge differences in different ways.

Highly commended in this category were WA12 Domestic Abuse and Kellie Kean, of Pitter Patter Tots.