Next to the bustling Baltic Market is a new lifeline for people struggling to put food on the table.
Stepping into Liverpool Community Grocery on the grounds of Hillsong Church on Mann Street is similar to walking into a local farmers market. An array of fresh fruit and vegetables in rustic crates are on display, alongside bakery items such as bread and cakes and also a variety of shelf and canned items.
However these items will cost a fraction of the price compared to a local supermarket. People, who would otherwise find it hard to put food on the table for their families, can do a large food shop for £4 per visit, up to three times a week, by signing up to the community grocery shop and paying an annual fee of £5.
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Food is donated by local supermarkets and suppliers and is the initiative of national charity The Message Trust, the store is being run in partnership with Hillsong Liverpool. The new community supermarket opened in L8 on Tuesday and the ECHO were invited to take a look around.
Speaking to the ECHO regional manager Jill Mallen said Liverpool Community Grocery looks to "bridge the gap" between foodbanks and supermarkets.
She said: “It’s dignified shopping, so we want to give that dignity where they can come in and choose what they want rather than just being given a bag. We are a bridge between a foodbank and a supermarket.
“We just want to really help people put food on the table. They say about two million people now can only eat once a day.”
Jill said since the Community Grocery started two years ago, the initiative has seen an increase om people needing its help due to the cost of living crisis. More and more of the community supermarket's have been popping up all over the North West and country.
She added: "We have 20 Community Grocery's now in some of the most deprived areas and the increase just keeps happening all the time when people find out about us and come. It’s because of the escalating cost of living for food, fuel and heating.
"It is a massive impact on everyone, but for some it is particularly difficult because they have the dilemma of do they heat the home or do they go out and buy food for a meal? So we want to help and support and make it easier for people to put food on the table.
"People come from all different backgrounds and actually people just love coming in for a coffee and cake to start with and say ‘I am so glad you are here’. People in work poverty, people who have jobs and then people struggling with the cost of living with their mortgages and everything [come visit], it is a real cross-section of people.
"We don’t ask to see any benefits, just if you’re finding it tough come down to us and our shop. You will be met with a warm welcome every time."
The grocery store also wants to provide "wrap-around" care, including classes and courses such as debt advice, one-on-one support and cooking and skills. Manager Lorienne Chadwick at the Liverpool store said many people just want to "come in and talk".
She said: “It’s such a great initiative. My background is I have come from the food and beverage industry and yes it is nice I can bring the skills I have learnt, but obviously it is a bit of a different ballgame, getting to know our community and those in need.
“Already people are coming in this morning [Tuesday] just having a conversation. People just wanting to talk and that is OK.
“Obviously yes, they get to do a shop at a reduced rate and all those things, but I think finding a community especially in a time like this, where they can benefit from that and also from this is also great.”
Hillsong's hub-coordinator Fiona McGlynn told the ECHO how the church had partnered with Love Thy Neighbour to deliver hampers across Liverpool and saw the need for something "more sustainable".
She said: "We were seeing the need was so great throughout Liverpool because we were delivering right through Liverpool, not just L8. We decided after coming into the new year we wanted something more sustainable, right in the community and a hub for people so they could come through the doors and get support in-house.
“That’s when we came across the Message Trust, who already had this idea of their grocery store and that’s when we decided to partnership with them. It’s been amazing that we have been able to finally launch it. It’s been a year-long process of getting to this point.”
Andy Hawthorne OBE, chief Executive and founder of The Message Trust said: “Escalating fuel and food prices are having a massive impact on everyone’s lives. But for many it’s made life so difficult that they are having to choose every day between heating or eating.
"We can’t stand by and do nothing, so the Community Groceries are here to help. Bridging the gap between supermarkets and foodbanks, we’re here to make it easier for our members to put food on the table by reducing the cost of the weekly shop, while also providing them with support and courses too.
"Over 34,000 members across the UK are now shopping in stores, and we can’t wait to welcome people to Liverpool Community Grocery from November 15."
Liverpool Community Grocery is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3.30pm at Hillsong Church, 7 Mann Street, Liverpool, L8 5AF.
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