AN AWARD-WINNING social supermarket, that will benefit hundreds of local people is set to open in Bradford, providing access to deeply discounted food and household products that otherwise may have gone to waste.

Community Shop Tong Street is set to open at the Avenue Retail Park this summer. The project is being supported by long-standing partner and Bradford-based supermarket Morrisons, who have donated £250,000 to fund the store, as well as Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Biffa.

The store will support around 750 members and will also house a Community Kitchen that will offer low-cost wholesome hot meals and free food to children.

All the items sold are perfectly good to eat or use and have been largely donated by major retailers, brands and manufacturers after being deemed as ‘surplus’ for reasons such as incorrect or wonky labelling, seasonal packaging, or overstock. 

Revenue raised in the store will be reinvested back into the store's Community Hub, which provides members with access to life-changing personal development support.

Sessions include everything from cookery clubs and home budgeting to interview skills and business courses. 

The store will create around eight new jobs for the area, with the new team working closely alongside local organisations such as Feeding Bradford & Keighley and the Cellar Trust – as well as the local council – to help address health inequalities within the Tong Ward of Bradford.

Gary Stott, Executive Chairman of Community Shop, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing Community Shop to Bradford this Summer and would like to say an enormous thank you to Morrisons for all their support in helping to get this wonderful project off the ground, as well as to the rest of our partners.

“Our combined offer of deeply discounted food, life-changing development programmes and nutritious home-cooked meals will give individuals the necessary tools to raise their confidence, build up their strength and ultimately deliver long-term aspirational change.”

Rebecca Singleton, Community Director at Morrisons, said: "Morrisons is doing everything it can to help customers with the cost-of-living crisis. In these tough times we are very pleased to help bring a Community Shop to Bradford, which will benefit hundreds of local people by offering access to heavily discounted food and providing opportunities to learn new skills." 

Tong Street will be part of a network of 10 Community Shops based within some of the UK’s most deprived communities.

The store operates on a free membership basis and is open to anyone who lives locally and receives welfare support, is on a low income or is referred to Community Shop by a partner organisation, and is motivated to make a positive change to their lives.