We have been working with the University of Southampton and the members of two of our Marketplaces to visualise the true story of a typical vulnerable Southampton community, and how the Marketplace work for them.
The results from the first wave are below:
Research results: All Saints Church Marketplace
Research results: Holy Trinity, Weston
Through our work as part of the Southampton Food Aid Forum and the University of Southampton research, it highlights that household food aid reliance and the distribution of food through community pantries has climbed sharply in recent years, with city-wide assessments indicating that over 40% of residents face food poverty.
It is hugely important to us at SCM that we take the time to understand our communities and the actual state of affairs in Southampton for real people. If we truly understand then we can equip ourselves to better serve those in need, and play our part in helping them secure long term positive outcomes for themselves and their families.
The next wave of research started in September 2026 and we will bring you the results when they are published.
Read more about our work with the University of Southampton as part of their 3 year project on understanding food aid reliance across Southampton:
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2025/07/improving-access-to-good-food-across-the-south.page