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A consultation is underway to investigate the setting up of a community run shop locally that provides support for local families and individuals experiencing food poverty.
Known as a Social Supermarket it is a social enterprise that can sell products to its members that can be reduced in price by up to 70%.
Consultation
The Department for Communities working with Newry & Mourne and Down District Council and local Community and Voluntary sector partners are seeking input from the community on the setting up of a pilot social supermarket in the Newry, Mourne and Down area.
This is part of a Pilot Programme set up as a response to a recommendation in the Welfare Reform Mitigations Report (Evason Report, 2016) that sought to mitigate the impact of UK-wide welfare reforms in Northern Ireland. This report highlighted that ‘Stormont should pilot strategies to tackle food poverty, potentially through a network of community food shops, social stores and supermarkets’.
What is a Social Supermarket?
A social supermarket is a community run shop that provides support for local families and individuals experiencing food poverty. Its mission is to help deal with the causes and consequences of food poverty whilst promoting the concepts of dignity and empowerment.
A ‘social supermarket’ sells products reduced in price by up to 70% to its members who are:
- at risk of or currently experiencing food poverty
- have a low disposable income
- live in the Newry, Mourne and Down council area
- willing to become a member and develop a success plan
Membership of the ‘social supermarket’ allows families and individuals to purchase a range of lower cost items – including fresh and frozen food, dried goods, as well as fruit and vegetables – provided as surplus stock by the charity Fare Share and local businesses.
The ‘social supermarket also offers a bespoke service for those who join, working in partnership with local organisations, with the aim of improving the financial, social and emotional wellbeing of the membership. A ‘social supermarket will provide a range of other services such as skill-building programmes, including cooking skills, money management and personal development, education programmes, training, etc.
Please contribute to the Consulatation at WWW.LIVINGWELLTOGETHERNMD.ORG
