Community Shop, the UK’s first social supermarket chain, has been awarded £600,000 of funding from the Big Lottery Fund to kick-start work on a new store in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimsby, joined Young’s Seafood, Sealord Caistor Limited, founder of Community Shop John Marren, and head of Community Shop Gary Stott on site at Centre4 in Grimsby yesterday (9 March) to mark the start of building work on the latest outlet.
Community Shop Grimsby will be the fourth store in the UK network, alongside Community Shop Athersley, Community Shop Goldthorpe and Community Shop West Norwood, in Lambeth, London.
Commenting on the new venture John Marren, founder and chairman of Community Shop, said:“We are so excited to be opening our new Community Shop in Grimsby, a town with a rich food heritage. We are very grateful for all of the support we have received from North East Lincolnshire Council and the Big Lottery Fund, which has been transformative. We would also like to thank Melanie Onn MP, local food businesses and Centre4 for welcoming us with open arms.”
Community Shop, a social enterprise, was founded by the UK’s largest redistributor of surplus stock, Company Shop, in 2013.
Open to individuals living in areas of deprivation and in receipt of welfare support, Community Shop says it helps its members to stretch family budgets and kick-start positive change in their lives.
The revenue raised from food sales are invested into Community Hub, where members gain access to mentoring, advice, skills and business courses and hot meals cooked from surplus in the Community Kitchen.
“I am delighted that Community Shop is on its way to opening in Grimsby,' said Grimsby MP Onn. 'It will help to provide low-cost, wholesome food, and will have a huge positive impact on the lives of the members and the wider community. It is brilliant to see local food businesses have pledged their support, and I am confident that Community Shop will flourish.'
