St Albans food pantry founder wins Pride of Britain award

What happened?

Raihaanah Ahmed founded St Albans Community Pantry. In 2026 she won the London and Home Counties category of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards. She beat nominees from across London to take the regional title, the St Albans Times reported.

ITV News London shortlisted four people for its 2026 regional fundraiser award. The others were Teresa Watts, the Pearly Queen of Clapton; Tony Gladman, a firefighter who spreads Christmas joy; and Donna Talidi, founder of Mums F.C.

Ahmed gave the credit to her volunteers. “I may have started this whole initiative, but I definitely could not do it alone,” she told the St Albans Times.

What does the pantry do?

The pantry provides food aid to about 600 people every week. It works as a mix of a food bank and a food rescue project. Volunteers collect surplus food from supermarkets and local producers, then sort it and pass it on.

Its services include:

• A community fridge and bread pantry. There are no lengthy forms or registers, and people can stay anonymous.
• Weekly boxes of mostly fresh food. Volunteers who have passed background (DBS) checks deliver them to vulnerable people, with recipe cards.
• Emergency food boxes for around 300 people a week, tailored to each household.
• Cooked meals for 100 school-age children each week.

The pantry now stores and distributes food from Spencer Hall in Sandridge. It has received a £1,000 Oakleigh Community Grant, presented by the Mayor of St Albans.

How did it start?

Ahmed and her husband, Al, started the work during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. They began at home and then moved into the Abbey Theatre, which was closed at the time.

The couple knew hardship themselves. In 2023, Ahmed told the St Albans Times that severe pregnancy sickness had stopped her working, and Al had lost his job. Their parents helped them, and they promised to help others once they recovered.

What drives her?

Indonesian news site Portal Islam reported that Ahmed links the work to her Muslim faith. She told it that Muslims see the environment as a trust, and that cutting food waste protects the planet for future generations. She also said her religion teaches people to be kind and to think of others.

What still needs to change?

The pantry is seeing more people who have never struggled to afford food before. Higher bills and job losses have pushed them into difficulty. “In St Albans, food insecurity is still very much hidden,” she said.

Her long-term goal is fewer people needing the service. “I’d love not to have to support food banks within schools locally,” she said.

Food safety rules limit how much more surplus food the pantry can take. Ahmed says the most useful help is time. The pantry needs volunteers who can collect donations late in the day and early in the morning.

Similar projects work in other countries. In Australia, Soul Food Bacchus Marsh served 10,000 free hot meals last year.

Ahmed is one of many people honoured this year. See every 2026 Pride of Britain winner and regional finalist.