Community Shop, Swarcliffe: First pictures inside new social supermarket in Leeds after grand opening
A new social supermarket has officially opened in Leeds that will offer residents “deeply discounted surplus products, affordable hot meals, skills workshops and further learning opportunities”.
Award-winning community enterprise Community Shop opened its 14th store in the country in Swarcliffe today (Friday).
Chief commercial officer at Asda, Kris Comerford and Gary Stott, executive chairman of Community Shop, cut the ribbon to open the new social supermarket this morning, with local dignitaries also in attendance.
The local community were then invited to sign up before being welcomed into their new store.
Across the country, Community Shop aims to tackle the root causes of poverty and food insecurity by empowering members to develop skills and build a positive future for themselves.
Community Shop in Swarcliffe has opened thanks to the support of Leeds-based Asda, who provided funding towards fixtures and fittings, having donated surplus products to the community-focused company for the last decade.
The Swarcliffe store brings together several key community services under one roof after working in partnership with Leeds City Council and the Swarcliffe Good Neighbours Scheme, a peer-to-peer social aid group.
Members can sign up to access discounted products, the Community Kitchen, and also find out more about the upcoming workshops and programmes in the Community Hub.
Mr Comerford said: "Supporting our local communities is something we take great pride in at Asda, so we’re delighted to celebrate the opening of the new Community Store in Swarcliffe and continue our long-standing partnership with Community Shop.
“By providing access to deeply discounted essentials and to life-changing learning opportunities, we hope to give a helping hand to those most in need and make a long-term difference to the community."
Mr Stott, executive chairman of Community Shop, commented: “For the past 12 years, Community Shop has not only provided our members with access to deeply discounted goods but also delivered life-changing programmes and holistic support so that our members develop their own capabilities and deliver a positive future for themselves.
“We’re delighted to continue our mission, empowering individuals, families, and communities across the Leeds area and I thank Asda for their support in helping us open this new store.”
Community Shop Swarcliffe is made up of three distinct but interconnected spaces - Community Store, Community Hub and Community Kitchen.
The store will provide members with access to discounted food and essentials, including fruit, vegetables and bread for only 20p. The profits from the store will then be reinvested into Community Hub which will deliver holistic support and development, empowering people across the local community to develop their own capabilities and deliver a positive future for themselves, providing members with the personal tools they need to improve their own circumstances and address the causes of their food insecurity, in a supportive, safe environment.
To complete the interconnected spaces, Community Shop Swarcliffe will have a Community Kitchen, a café that enables people to connect with others and learn through food, as well as providing home-cooked meals for the community with kids eating free every day.
Since its inception in 2013, Community Shop has supported over 73,000 families through this model and saved members over £50 million on their regular food shops. The Community Hubs have delivered more than 218,000 development programmes and Community Kitchens have fed over 880,000 children for free.
The store operates on a free membership basis and will be open to those on means-tested benefits who live in the local area. For more information visit the Community Shop website.