The local community recently came together to celebrate the first birthday of Community Shop Beechwood, the award-winning social supermarket in Wirral.
Since the store opened in June 2021, it has supported hundreds of families on the cusp of food poverty by offering surplus food and household products from major brands and retailers at deeply discounted prices – saving each member an average £212 on their monthly shopping bill.
All the revenue raised from the in-store sales has been re-invested into Community Shop Beechwood to provide personal development programmes for members, including cookery clubs, home budgeting and interview skills. In the first 12 months, over 600 members have already engaged with the life-changing learning development programmes.
Through its Community Kitchen the store also provides subsidised meals, with children eating for free, as well as hosting a wide range of community events.
To thank its members and colleagues for all their support, Community Shop held a birthday party at the store in Manor House, Beechwood Drive, where everyone enjoyed free cakes, a delicious buffet lunch and had the chance to win some fantastic surplus prizes.
Social Impact and Development Manager, Joseph Chow, said, “We’re delighted to be part of this amazing community and we wanted to share our birthday celebrations by having a party with our members.
“Community Shop Beechwood has already supported so many people with access to deeply discounted food and life-changing learning and development programmes and we look forward to building on this and helping even more people become the best version of themselves.”
Community Shop Beechwood is part of network of nine social supermarkets based within some of the UK’s most deprived communities and was opened thanks to the support of Ocado, Onward Homes, Little Centre, Big Local, Bee Wirral and Wirral Council.
Membership is free and open to people who live locally, receive welfare support, are on a low income or are referred to Community Shop by a partner organisation, and are motivated to make a positive change to their lives.
To find out how to join, head to: www.companyshopgroup.co.uk/communityshop/ 
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