A community co-operative in West Belfast has officially launched with its first permanent location after helping families for two years.
The Suffolk Community Co-Operative is now based in the Suffolk Community Garden, and aims to help as many struggling families as they can.
Starting up during the first lockdown and helping the community through fresh food deliveries, they are now helping families through the worsening cost of living crisis.
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Caroline Murphy from the Suffolk Community Forum said the co-operative is "much needed" now more than ever as the economic crisis deepens.
"This is a highly disadvantaged estate, and after the pandemic, that just exacerbated everything and it's going to get worse. We needed to do something to help," she told Belfast Live.
"We have been able to find a permanent spot for the Suffolk Community Co-Operative which is a reaction to the economic crisis everybody's finding themselves faced with.
"There are huge mental health problems after the pandemic both among adults and children here, so at least we can take away some of the worry, by helping to provide food.
"It's using the co-operative model, meaning everybody has a role to play. The food is bagged and distributed to people in need.
"The volunteers are amazing, it wouldn't have happened without them. If somebody needs something during the week, someone will come and give them food out. We can't stand on ceremony, we have to take it as it comes for people who really are in need."
One resident in the area said the group is "much needed", especially as more and more families begin to struggle with the rising cost of energy and food.
A main aspect of the community co-operative is sustainability, with the Henderson Group and the Co-Op providing surplus food. As well as this, they have their own community garden where they will be growing their own vegetables.
Caroline added: "The bottom line is as time develops, we're going to set up a social enterprise, because Suffolk needs to be sustainable. We can't constantly rely on funders, we need sustainability."
The co-operative is run by a group of volunteers, who Caroline said are vital for its day-to-day running.
"I couldn't tell you how brilliant it is to have this up and running," she said. "This would've have happened without Brian, Rachel and the rest of the volunteers - they are absolutely amazing. They have been the driving force.
"So many people have helped us, the guys from Henderson's even come deliver to us on their days off. We have had a huge list of people helping us, too many to even mention them all."
You can find out more about the Suffolk Community Co-Operative by clicking here.
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