Community Shop Lambeth celebrates decade of life-changing impact for local families

Community Shop Lambeth is part of the UK’s first social supermarket network which is celebrating 10 years of transforming lives through surplus food.

As one of 12 Community Shop stores across the UK, Community Shop Lambeth, in Vale Street, delivers affordable and sustainable food aid for families living on the cusp of food poverty.

As the second store to open, Community Shop Lambeth alone has supported 4,500 families, with members having saved £6,574,249 on their shopping baskets and shared 3,871,943 meals in the Community Hubs and Kitchens since 2014.

Nicola, a Community Shop Lambeth member who only wanted to give her first name, said: “Community Shop means so much to me and my family. When money is tight I know that I can feed my family with good food.

“The courses available in the Hub are great and help people learn really important skills, and the events bring the community together which is really important.”

With Community Shop’s model first launching in 2013, the social supermarket network has since supported 61,498 families, created the equivalent of more than 30.4 million meals and collectively saved its members £51.7million on their shopping thanks to surplus stock donations from more than 200 industry partners and 800 local partners.

The Community Hubs and Kitchens have also delivered 174,548 personal development programmes, helped 2,510 members to return to work, and ensured 809,157 children have eaten for free.

Local Community Chefs designed their own canapés inspired by regional favourites, including a mini jerk chicken skewer made entirely from surplus food, which celebrated the store’s local Caribbean community.

Perry Tole, relationship manager at Community Shop Lambeth, said: “We have an incredible team at Community Shop Lambeth and I am really proud to be part of this Community Hub and Kitchen which works so hard to ensure local families eat well, have access to high-quality food, and have a place to spend time with their community – we have seen the immense benefits of Community Shop right here in Lambeth.

“It’s great to celebrate Community Shop’s 10 year anniversary, as such an important support hub for families across the UK. I’d like to thank the whole of Community Shop Lambeth for their passion and endless positivity which have ensured our work made a huge difference for so many.”

Pictured top: Community Shop Lambeth has served the community for a decade (Picture: Community Shop)