Social supermarket aims to provide affordable food

A social supermarket aiming to provide affordable food to people who are struggling with the cost of living has opened in Nuneaton.

Plate of Plenty is run by the charity Guardians Grow and based at the Iris Project in the town's Abbeygate Shopping Centre.

The charity spent about a year on the project after helping more than 300 local families referred to them for assistance.

Guardians Grow founder Sioux Watkins said the supermarket also aimed to help users "make sure you are getting the support you need from other services".

The supermarket is different to a food bank, because users register and then pay £5 per person to select up to 15 items from the range of goods on offer.

Watkins said the service started eight months ago, in a cupboard under the stairs of their main base, The Makery, also at the Abbeygate Shopping Centre.

"We had around 300 individuals and families using the service and the cupboard under the stairs got a bit busy. So we decided to launch the supermarket in the store next to our hub."

Watkins said the social supermarket built on the other work the charity does, tackling loneliness and isolation.

Paul Graham from Nuneaton used the service when it was based under the stairs of the Makery, and said the social supermarket was important to help those who might be struggling to make ends meet.

"There are people like myself who do struggle. I don't work through ill-health and therefore once the utility bills and rent are paid, there is very little left over for food."

The aim of the social supermarket is twofold, according to Watkins.

"We're not just here to offer you the social supermarket, we're here to make sure you're accessing every service that's available to you. We'll make sure you are getting the support you need from other services."

Watkins said the charity also hoped to open a community kitchen in the town centre, offering people the chance to learn about food and how to cook it.

Plate of Plenty currently opens between 10:00 and 14:00 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, although opening on a Monday is being considered, depending on more people volunteering.

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