A mobile supermarket has been giving residents in St Ann’s access to buy cheap and healthy food. Housing association Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, has been working alongside Himmah, a local charity, to provide a mobile supermarket in Gedney Avenue, for its local residents.
The Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association uses the mobile supermarket to serve its tenants in St Ann's to help with the cost of living crisis. Local residents can visit the van each week to buy their food staples such as bread, fresh fruit and vegetables at a lower price.
The project, Food Print on Wheels, provides residents with a place where they can get their food essentials ranging from 25p up to £1. Sajid Mohammad, co-founder and director of Himmah said that the charity is trying to support those during the cost of living crisis.
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He said: “Himmah is a poverty, race and educational charity. We do social action to tackle poverty and education in the city. We offer it to low-income families so they can get a variety of healthy nutritious food, lots of good quality healthy food.
“Here, we are working with Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, we work together to help with the cost of living crisis. This estate is a food desert, not much transport, not one of the six big supermarkets, people don’t have access to healthy cheap food and this project is about bringing healthy food to them.
“There are a lot of people struggling and Himmah and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing are trying to provide support.”
A resident who regularly uses the mobile supermarket, Carine Bendo, 50, said it’s been really helpful. She said: “Every Friday when I'm off I'm always here. It’s really helping because there’s some food at the shops that’s really expensive. Here you can get it for 50p or £1. You can get the food you can get in the shop for a really good price."
Julliet Barrett has been volunteering at the van for the past eight weeks said it’s helped people socially as well as providing reasonably priced food. The 58-year-old said: “It’s made a massive difference, we’ve noticed over the past weeks we are starting to see more and more people. It’s not only good for the food but on a social scale. It’s opened up the community and people that see each other.
“People are not only getting one or two items but they’re getting a full bag. It’s made a massive difference to the whole area. On the van are bread, always vegetables and always fruit and sometimes the odd treats.”
The project has got £10,000 funding from the council, they have hopes to use that to get a license to sell on the street and offer the service in other places.
Lesley Watson 57, regional manager for Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association, said: "It’s for our residents that live on this estate, it started when we were aware of the challenges with food and fuel. We know it’s hard for everybody and for our residents.
"We were aware of the food print van and we trialled it and it’s been a raging success. It’s the residents, they support each other. It’s wonderful to see them.”
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