A pop-up social supermarket providing access to affordable groceries has launched at White Colne Village Hall.
A pop-up social supermarket providing access to affordable groceries has launched at White Colne Village Hall.
The Braintree District Social Supermarket, operated by Maldon & District CVS, held a launch event on Monday 28 April for partners, ahead of its opening to the public on Monday 12 May and Monday 19 May between 11.30am and 1pm.
The Social Supermarket is designed to support individuals and families facing the challenges of the rising cost of living by offering access to low-cost essentials as well as finding out about local support in a welcoming environment.
This project is being delivered by Maldon & District CVS and is being funded by the Braintree District Council £1m Cost of Living fund and has received a grant of £20k, as well as additional funding of £68k from Essex County Council’s community supermarket programme.
Priority will be focused on the rural north of the district including The Colnes, Yeldham, Hedingham and Stour Valley North. These areas were identified as priorities due to indicators relating to poverty and extra support which many in our rural communities struggle to access.
Following the two pilot events in May, it is hoped that the programme will in time spread across the priority areas. They are likely to take place once a fortnight in each location as the project progresses but will initially bi-weekly at one location, with plans to add a second location as demand grows.
The system works on a set price model, providing access to a number of items. For example, £5 provides access to 10 items, £7.50 to 15 items, £10 to 20 items and £15 to 30 items. Groceries are colour coded according to value.
Cllr Mary Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said: “It was a pleasure to be at the launch of the pop-up social supermarket in White Colne. This will provide access to affordable groceries for the rural areas in the north of the Braintree district where public transport is limited, as well as access to essential support services.”
Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity said ‘’It is great to be opening our final community supermarket in Braintree and to celebrate meeting our commitment of bringing one to every district in Essex.
“When we started this programme, we knew that many of our residents were facing challenges in accessing affordable food, with a growing reliance on food banks.”
“Every single one of our new supermarkets is different but they all have the same ethos and same ambition and it’s not just about helping to put food on the table. It’s about offering additional support and signposting to support and advice where it is needed.
‘’It’s been fantastic to meet so many of our partners, volunteers and residents who have come together to make this programme both a reality and a success. None of it would have been possible without the fantastic collaboration with colleagues in the charity sector and in our district, city, and borough councils and I offer them my heartfelt thanks.
“The programme has exceeded our expectations, but this is just the start. We will now work to build on this network to support communities further and build independence”
The first pop-up social supermarket will be at White Colne Village Hall on Monday 12 May from 11.30am to 1pm.