Merseyside
Community Shop (L4) is open
Membership at the new store in Onward’s former office in Walton Road offers access to items up to 70% off the normal retail price.
Community Shop, an award-winning social enterprise and the UK’s first social supermarket chain, has opened its new store at 211 Walton Road in Liverpool 4 – providing the local community with access to high-quality, low-cost food and household products. 
The store was opened with Liverpool City Mayor Joe Anderson cutting the ceremonial ribbon, alongside Community Shop’s Founder and Chairman John Marren.
Other representatives there on the day were from Liverpool City Council and the office of MP Dan Carden, Onward, Everton in the Community and Riverside, who provided investment to get the store up and running alongside Ocado, Nestle and Company Shop Group.
Freshly baked pies were also served up from the store’s neighbour Homebaked, the local co-operative bakery.
Membership of the new Community Shop is now open to people who live locally, receive welfare support, and are motivated to make a positive change to their lives. This includes Onward customers, who has given Community Shop the use of its former office for the new store.
There has already been a positive response from local community, with lots of families benefiting from the provision on offer, and Community Shop is now encouraging more people to come along to sign up to the offers.
When shopping in store, members have access to heavily discounted food and products, which have predominantly been donated by major retailers and manufacturers, and may otherwise have gone to waste. Shoppers can access items up to 70% off the normal retail price, helping to stretch family budgets further.
The revenue raised from the in-store sales is invested in the Community Hub, where members can gain access to personal development support, with sessions including everything from cook clubs and home budgeting, to interview skills and business courses. The store also houses a Community Kitchen, offering wholesome hot meals to members and their families.
Working in partnership with Liverpool City Council, local charities and organisations including Onward and Everton in the Community, Community Shop L4 seeks to complement the work already being delivered in the area. It has also generated 10 new local jobs, with vacancies now filled in retail, hospitality and development roles.
Onward Chief Executive Bronwen Rapley said: “We are delighted to build on our partnership with Community Shop and to support their work across the City region.
“Onward has been a part of the community in this part of North Liverpool for many years. Placing this building in the hands of Community Shop demonstrates our commitment to the area and supports our mission ‘to create a positive difference in the communities we serve’.”
Steph McGinty, Retail, People and Communities Director, Company Shop said: “We are thrilled to bring our social enterprise to the heart of Liverpool, where we are working closely with the various local organisations, charities, and community members to help make a real difference to the lives of individuals and families across the region.
“We are very grateful for the support we have received from Liverpool City Council, Dan Carden MP, Onward Homes, Ocado, Nestle, Riverside and Everton in the Community, who have welcomed us with such open arms and enabled us embark on our ambitious plans to deliver further positive social, economic and environmental impact across Liverpool.
“It has been great to welcome new members to the store and we’re looking forward supporting many more individuals and families being able to benefit from our offers.”
The Community Shop team worked closely with Onward to build on the partnership formed when it opened its most recent store in Halton in December 2019, with Onward providing the premise and part-funding the conversion.
In Halton, Onward Homes and Community Shop deliver collaborative development sessions and supply a meeting space for Onward customers.
If you’d like to find out about membership for either store get in touch with our social investment team or take a look at the Community Shop website
*All images courtesy of Liverpool Council