WHEN news of a second national lockdown hit, Becca Brown headed to her bulging pantry to get a bottle of Prosecco.

Popping the cork, she settled down to watch the news with a bowl of crisps, which left barely a sliver of space on her pantry shelves.

That’s because admin assistant Becca has spent the majority of 2020 amassing a stockpile so large her house can barely contain it.

She has 300 toilet rolls, 50 bottles of hand sanitiser jars and jars of source and piles of pasta so large her shelves are groaning.

Becca is not the only one either, with hordes of shoppers rushing to clear the shelves of Tesco and Asda this week.

Many have also raced to pack trolleys with Christmas gifts, following the news that all non-essential stores must shut.

While many claim stockpilers are greedy, thoughtless and doing the elderly and infirm out of desperately-needed food, Becca and her fellow hoarders Emma Tarry and Liz Lindenbaue disagree.

As far as they are concerned they are decent mums putting their families first, and it’s everyone else who should think carefully about why they AREN’T so prepared.

Here, they talk to Fabulous about why they stockpile.

“It’s survival of the planners, I say”

Admin Assistant Becca Brown, 35, from Portsmouth has a massive stash of PPE including facemasks and gloves, as well as food.

Among her hoard is 300 loo rolls, 50 bottles of hand sanitiser, 100 kitchen rolls and enough jars of sauce to last until March 2021.

“I didn’t panic when lockdown number two was announced, I celebrated with a glass of prosecco and snacks from my special lockdown store room. 

There was no need to stress as I have enough food and art supplies to keep me going for seven months.

I actually went into debt prepping for the first lockdown, spending £2,500 on PPE kit, masks, gloves and other equipment.

Of course trolls had a go at me but I wanted to be safe, plus I use them for my artwork as a representation of how Covid affected our society.

People attacked me because the NHS was running out of kit but if I could get it why couldn’t they? It’s not my problem.  

I’ve added to my food supplies every week during, and since, lockdown.

I have over 300 toilet tolls, 50 bottles of hand sanitiser, 100 kitchen rolls, 10 bags of flour, five bulk boxes of pasta, and enough sauces to keep me going until March 2021. 

I have barely touched my original supply of UHT milk because I bought extra every week. 

I have also added to my store of dozens of paracetamol packets, throat sprays and other medicines I thought I might need. 

When I needed some extra cash I simply sold some masks on eBay, and I’ll do the same again. 

It’s survival of the planners I say. 

I have shelves of basic food items like cans of minced meat, baked beans, fruit, canned vegetables curry pastes and I won’t go without. 

I have over 300 toilet tolls, 50 bottles of hand sanitiser, 100 kitchen rolls, 10 bags of flour, five bulk boxes of pasta, and enough sauces to keep me going until March 2021.

People who claim I’m stopping others getting their hands on essentials are talking rubbish. 

I have planned my purchases and keep an exact log on an excel spreadsheet so I know what I have. 

The rest of the country should do the same. 

“Don’t moan at me for stockpiling, get to Tesco and clear the shelves yourselves”

Emma Tarry, 26, is mum to six-year-old Jayden and Leo, four, and lives in Lancaster.

She started stockpiling in March and never lets her hoard run low – she already has all her kids’ Christmas presents and even chocolate for next Easter.

“I consider myself a super stockpiling queen. 

When Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared a new national lockdown would be starting I didn’t rush out to join the thousands of people clearing shelves. 

Instead I started wrapping my Christmas gifts and doing my weekly inventory to ensure my next home delivery shop has everything I need to top up my supply of food, cleaning products, medicines, craft items and school materials. 

I have enough to last eight or nine months, and I’ve even forward-planned for next Easter, Mothers’ Day and birthdays in 2021. 

When I started hoarding in March, I had 12 kilos of chicken, 12 boxes of fish fingers and six bottles of Calpol. 

As lockdown continued I refused to let my totals drop, instead buying more every week. I knew that was the right decision, and this new lockdown proves it.

I don’t care if people criticise me or say I’m stopping others from getting the basics, I won’t change.

I’m right to have planned for this, it was the sensible decision because I’m ready to last out the virus.

I've been methodical about my stockpile, spending about £250 a month since the first lockdown adding to it.

I got extra beans, canned vegetables, tinned fruit and craft supplies and kits for the kids.  

I also spent £600 on Christmas presents for each of the kids; things like nerf guns, Nintendos, phones and computers. 

Of course I was right to do it, my kids are already catered for – you won’t catch me rushing around last minute like so many other parents.

Some have even offered to pay me double for the gifts I’ve got as they’re so worried they won’t be sorted, but I’m not interested – my kids will have a great Christmas even if we’re still in lockdown.

I also have dozens of standby gifts for friends for birthdays and things, enough to see me through until May 2021.  

My supersized freezer is still fully stocked with ten kilos of chicken, ten boxes of fish fingers, oven chips, frozen fruit and veg and a selection of six gateaux cheese cakes. 

I’m not ashamed, I actually can’t understand why everyone doesn’t have a Power Pantry.  

Every week I do a stocktake and I get anxious if my totals fall below my basic level – that’s 20 packets of kids’ wipes, seven tubs of vitamins, six bottles of Calpol and paracetamol to last three months for myself.  

I need 14 boxes of cereal, 12 litres of UHT milk and a pack of 200 gloves just in case.

On top, I’ve got cheesecakes, ice cream, Christmas food and snacks, 68 tins of dog food and even some Easter eggs for next year.

If you ask me I’m smart and it’s the people who are shopping ‘normally’ who are stupid.

Don’t moan at me for clearing the shelves at Tesco, get down there and stock up yourself. 

And yes I still have my BB gun – my stockpile is too precious not to protect it.

“I’m not taking items from anyone, I’m just being prepared”

Liz Lindenbauer, 32, is a mum-of-one from Maidstone, Kent.

She can’t understand why everyone doesn’t stockpile, saying it’s the one thing which has eased her anxiety during the coronavirus outbreak.

“I’ve got enough in my lockdown stockpile to last me and my Eva, nine,  for six months.

What’s more I’ve done it all on the cheap, saving over £800 by buying cut-price goods and in bulk.

I think the first lockdown showed everyone how unprepared we were, it made me realise I needed to be better organised.

I’m a single mum so lockdown shopping wasn’t easy, and I realised I needed a better stock of basics like tins, cleaning products and even clothes.

Now I always have ten super-sized laundry detergents, 20 bulk boxes of antibac spray, 52 long life bags or brioche and croissants, 30 tins of baked beans, 40 tins of tomatoes, bulk boxes of dozens of tinned fruits to lasts six weeks at a time, eight kilos of frozen mixed vegetables and 40 containers of long like UHT but based milk alternatives

Every week I buy extra to top up my supplies, and essentials include buying the cheapest bulk supply of look and kitchen paper. 

I have stocked 100 loo rolls and 50 kitchen rolls which double up as arts and craft supplies.

I've built up a stockpile of £400 worth of kids crafting items including pipe cleaners, glue guns, moulding clays, stickers and gems.

I have bought enough T-shirts, jeggings, leggings, and dresses for Eva in two different sizes for summer and winter next year in case access to stores becomes limited.

Just a bit of time spent every week meant we now have a huge stash of healthy food should we need to stay at home.

It actually started when I ended up with doubles of a food order in May.

Far from being annoying, it made me feel calm. I liked knowing I was set for food.

That’s when I decided to create my own Power Pantry. 

Now I am meticulous. I check every item in my cupboards, look at the use by dates and store them so the oldest get used first. 

I started buying extra too, so now have dozens of cans of beans and tinned tomatoes, packets of pasta, flour, corn, dried soups and tinned fruit. 

I always bought cheap versions which were on sale, and in six weeks my kitchen cupboards were over-flowing. I knew exactly what we were eating for the next two months. 

Now I store toilet roll and paper towel under beds. 

Bulk buys of bathroom soap, cleaning products, UHT milk, almond milk and sugar are kept in wardrobes all over the house. 

I know exactly where everything is.

When Lockdown number one ended I went out and bought extra clothes for Eva too – not just for this year, but in a size up for next year. 

That way I have supplies of socks, coats, pyjamas, t-shirts and leggings without having to worry.

I have bought and wrapped all my Christmas gifts, have school uniforms for the next two years and summer clothes too. 

I know people complain about the loo roll stockpilers but I am not taking items from anyone.

I am showing my daughter how to plan and budget and save money and above all be prepared. 

Having full cupboards means I’m one less person in a supermarket shopping and that’s got to be good.

Focusing on my Power Pantry organisation keeps me calm and focused on remaining happy and healthy.

It's the one thing I can control."

We previously brought you the story about the stockpilers who are protecting their huge hauls with everything from BB guns to chainsaws. 

And a woman has spent £1.5k stockpiling for Christmas.

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