The Community Membership Store
Our community membership store has been created to bridge the gap between standard supermarkets and food banks to offer a successful, quality shopping experience via a weekly membership system. It supports those on low incomes to reduce food costs, allowing people to better manage their other expenses as well tackling the environmental impact the food industry has on the planet with surplus food waste.
How It Works
Members simply pay £4 a week to get at least £15 worth of shopping, which includes fresh fruit and vegetables, ambient, chilled, and frozen foods as well as toiletries and cleaning goods too. The store will offer members choice and an opportunity to contribute financially, removing any stigma associated with other initiatives, helping relieve persistent food poverty and enabling those on a low income to have access to a variety of food to ensure that single residents, couples and families can enjoy nutritious meals made with quality ingredients.
Our store runs alongside our existing services at the Cedarwood Trust, offering a fantastic provision that can benefit all those who access it. This enables those that use the store to access everything else we offer. The services we offer cover everything from debt advice to budgeting, family and pastoral support, training and volunteer opportunities and so much more.
The service is volunteer led, further enhancing people’s opportunity to support their own community, allowing for personal achievement and opportunities for individuals too.
Those wishing to support the work we do can donate a ‘shop’ via our giving links.
Our store runs alongside our existing services at the Cedarwood Trust, offering a fantastic provision that can benefit all those who access it. This enables those that use the store to access everything else we offer. The services we offer cover everything from debt advice to budgeting, family and pastoral support, training and volunteer opportunities and so much more.
The service is volunteer led, further enhancing people’s opportunity to support their own community, allowing for personal achievement and opportunities for individuals too.
Those wishing to support the work we do can donate a ‘shop’ via our giving links.
Key MessagesSaving surplus food, from waste to be used
Offers ongoing, sustainable support directly for those facing food insecurity Supporting those in persistent poverty Volunteer and training opportunities Health and wellness education; better choices Available to all; membership as well as a donation-based service too Tackle local food inequality |
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Questions & Answers
Do I have to be on benefits or unemployed to use the food membership scheme?
Everyone is welcome to join our membership scheme. Hard times do not discriminate, therefore we welcome all to access this service whether you are on benefits, unemployed or not. Everyone is treated the same.
Do I have to be a member?
No. You are welcome to use the store service without having a membership. All items will be individually marked for a donation fee, allowing us to compliment the membership service and further allowing us funds to operate the store.
Can I only get food?
We will also be able to offer toiletries, cleaning goods and more as available.
Will you always have the same food and goods each week?
The magic of the way the store operates, we prioritize offering surplus food and goods that otherwise may be waste but are still quality. So each week we are able to offer an excellent and varying selection of food allowing those using the service to try new things whilst always being able to access their staples.
Is it a food bank?
No. The store is the future of supporting those in crisis out of persistent poverty. We allow members to pay minimal fees and allow donations otherwise, to enable better money management, budgeting, and food choices.
Where does the food come from?
We pride ourselves on saving surplus food so work closely with FareShare North East, local business and charities to access quality food and goods to offer in store. We also offer fresh local produce, to support the local community too.
Is stock good quality and in date?
Always. We monitor and rotate stock the same as any supermarket.
How do I become a member?
TBC. Online form on website or else a form when they come in?
How do I volunteer?
Please get in touch with us at the centre as we have a huge range of volunteering opportunities and always love to have new faces join the work we do.
Everyone is welcome to join our membership scheme. Hard times do not discriminate, therefore we welcome all to access this service whether you are on benefits, unemployed or not. Everyone is treated the same.
Do I have to be a member?
No. You are welcome to use the store service without having a membership. All items will be individually marked for a donation fee, allowing us to compliment the membership service and further allowing us funds to operate the store.
Can I only get food?
We will also be able to offer toiletries, cleaning goods and more as available.
Will you always have the same food and goods each week?
The magic of the way the store operates, we prioritize offering surplus food and goods that otherwise may be waste but are still quality. So each week we are able to offer an excellent and varying selection of food allowing those using the service to try new things whilst always being able to access their staples.
Is it a food bank?
No. The store is the future of supporting those in crisis out of persistent poverty. We allow members to pay minimal fees and allow donations otherwise, to enable better money management, budgeting, and food choices.
Where does the food come from?
We pride ourselves on saving surplus food so work closely with FareShare North East, local business and charities to access quality food and goods to offer in store. We also offer fresh local produce, to support the local community too.
Is stock good quality and in date?
Always. We monitor and rotate stock the same as any supermarket.
How do I become a member?
TBC. Online form on website or else a form when they come in?
How do I volunteer?
Please get in touch with us at the centre as we have a huge range of volunteering opportunities and always love to have new faces join the work we do.