![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sharonfood-640x381.jpg\" "\\"sharonfood\\"")
Sharon at the pilot scheme earlier this year<\/p>\nSharon at the pilot scheme earlier this year<\/p>\n
Healthy and affordable food campaigner Sharon Goodyer is set to open a \u2018give a little, take a lot\u2019 scheme in Newington.<\/p>\n
The scheme, which opens at St Chritopher\u2019s Church Hall on June 24, is an expansion of the project held at Radford House in Ramsgate in March.<\/p>\n
For a donation- whatever a person can afford- people can take away three or four large carrier bags full of mixed fresh produce to feed their family.<\/p>\n
Sharon, who was a head teacher for 26 years until she was forced to leave education in 2000 because of Parkinson\u2019s disease, has launched a number of affordable food schemes on the isle \u2013 most notably the Summer Kitchen prior to covid, which provided \u00a0free meals, both eat in and takeaway, throughout the school holidays.<\/p>\n
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Sharon Goodyer has launched a new affordable food project Photo David Ian Harris<\/p>\n
Sharon, 74, said: \u201cI am happy to be at St Christopher\u2019s again, where we had the Summer Kitchen, as it is right in the middle of the greatest need.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will open on June 24th and have nine pallets of fresh, seasonal produce delivered. We pay 10p per kilo rather than get it for free as this means we receive a greater variety that is better quality and has a longer shelf life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just manage to cover this cost through the donations.<\/p>\n
\u201cReverend Catherine particularly wanted us in that area as she felt they deserved it the most.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sharon has named the scheme \u2018give a little take a lot\u2019 after hearing it described as such by one person attending the project at Radford House.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWe should all shop, cook, eat more veg and fruit. It is colourful and tasty. We use each week\u2019s donations to buy the next week\u2019s fruit and veg. We negotiate a wide variety of quality produce at the lowest price we can. By getting together to do this we help ourselves and each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sharon hopes that those who attend will once again share recipes and ideas.<\/p>\n
The scheme will be open 10am-3pm on Wednesday Thursday and Friday each week<\/p>\n
Please bring your own carrier bags.<\/p>\n
Absolute Low Income families<\/p>\n
Thanet district has the highest number and proportion of children living in absolute low income families in Kent (5,747, 22.6%) and the third highest proportion of children living in absolute low-income families in the South East.<\/p>\n
Absolute low income is defined as a family in low income before housing costs. Kent Analytics data says in 2024\/25 the average (median) household income before housing costs was \u00a3719.00 per week (around \u00a337,400 per year). 60% of the median income equates to \u00a3431.00 per week (around \u00a322,400 per year).<\/p>\n
Just under a quarter (23.3%) of children living in absolute low-income families in Kent live in either Thanet or Swale.<\/p>\n
The top two wards in Kent with the highest percentage of children aged under 16 living in absolute low-income families are Dane Valley (590 \u2013 33.4%) and \u00a0Newington (468 \u2013 32.1%).<\/p>\n