Bid to tackle food poverty in South Yorkshire

A food bank charity and a social supermarket are teaming up for a new scheme aimed at tackling food poverty which could be launched in South Yorkshire.
Community Shop manager Sarah Dunwell at the first community supermarket in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire. Picture: Ross Parry Agency.Community Shop manager Sarah Dunwell at the first community supermarket in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire. Picture: Ross Parry Agency.
Community Shop manager Sarah Dunwell at the first community supermarket in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire. Picture: Ross Parry Agency.

The Trussell Trust, which has more than 400 food banks nationwide, is joining forces with the Community Shop, which sells cut-price food to people struggling on the breadline, to offer a joint enterprise.

The trust operates a food bank in Doncaster and the Community Shop has an outlet in Goldthorpe. The organisations are now looking for two premises about 20, 000 sq ft in size where they can deliver collaborative projects from.

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The model for the two new sites will be based on an existing scheme in London where both organisations work together to “signpost each other’s offerings” to people who need their help.

David McAuley, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We are excited to enter into this agreement with Community Shop.

“Most importantly we have a shared vision and passion for ending UK hunger and poverty through supporting communities take practical action.

“Our approaches to tackling poverty can complement each other, so fewer people end up needing an emergency food parcel to see them through the week.”

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John Marren, founder and chairman of Community Shop, added: “We believe that through this partnership we will be able to reach even more people and help them back on their route to independence, while tackling food waste.”

Lindsay Boswell, chief executive officer of food supply organisation FareShare, said: “What people in difficulties really need is a seamless and supportive approach and this is why the partnership between Community Shop and The Trussell Trust is so welcome. Collaboration always delivers greater social impact than competition and the shared ambition to ‘go beyond food’ and address the deep-rooted causes behind hunger makes this an ideal partnership.”