'People are often in despair - we see it in their eyes'

A charity boss who founded a community shop selling groceries at a fraction of the price of supermarkets said the concept was so successful "it had gone a bit nuts".

Andy Hawthorne is chief executive of The Message Trust, a Christian charity which also aims to provide access to affordable groceries to combat food insecurity.

The trust runs a community members-only store in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, which sells food donated by supermarkets, or that would otherwise go to landfill, at heavily discounted rate.

Hawthorne told the BBC: "People often walk in this place in despair, we see it in their eyes and their demeanour and they sniff hope."

He said the idea was formed during the coronavirus pandemic when the trust was delivering food to vulnerable people.

"We saw desperate need," Hawthorne said.

"So we came up with this dream: let's start a shop, let's stop food going into landfill, let's get lots of donations and let's buy some choice items.

"We'll make sure it's well stocked and let's try and provide food for families at a fraction of the cost for a supermarket.

"And it's gone a bit nuts to be honest."

The result was the trust's flagship shop in Sharston.

Shopper Beatrice Zulu told the BBC it had been "absolutely amazing" at helping keep her bills down.

"Especially with the days like now after Christmas, where you're probably thinking everything's gone but if you come in here and it's a fiver you can get your veg, you get your fruit, you can get your meat, you can get your bread, It's really, really good and really, really useful," she said.

Hawthorne said since then demand has rocketed and the charity now runs 34 similar shops across the country, with around 100,000 members.

A food shop costs around 25% less than in regular supermarkets, and the charity also provides "wraparound support" with courses on debt or managing mental health.

The food on the shelves is a combination of "perfectly good" stock which is closer to its sell by date, food donated to the charity and stock the charity has bought out of its own funds.

Sharston shop member Kathleen Roper added: "What you'd spend say £20 in the shops, you can get here for £5.

"So it's a massive, massive difference and it's always full. The fresh veg especially in the shops is so dear and you can't afford to live.

"I really can't afford to live if I shop outside."

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