“We’ve had pretty much new members on a daily basis” – The Salford community grocery helping with the cost of living crisis

Removing the worry for those not knowing where their next meal will come from is key to the work of Salford community grocery Victory Outreach.

That is a real bonus for Vicky Steers who has a four-month-old baby and has been shopping at the community grocery for the past couple of months.

She said: “There is such a range [of products] there’s always something new on the shelves. Especially for the baby and things like that. The cost of living at the minute is just unacceptable.”

Manager, Theresa John, described the store as a bridge between a food bank and a supermarket.

She said: “It’s a place people can come in and rather than receiving a handout, which is good and necessary at times, people can come in and pick their own items.”

Food inflation has peaked at its highest since the 2008 financial crisis meaning prices in supermarkets are increasingly difficult to afford for local people. As families are facing on average a £454 increase in their annual grocery bills, there is no criteria to attend Victory outreach.

Joan Williamson has been shopping at the community grocery for over a year. She said: “I couldn’t do without it.

“I wouldn’t dream of going out and buying fruit it’s a luxury. I know they say you’ve got to eat so many a day but it isn’t a necessity but coming here I’m able to buy fresh fruit and veg.”

A study conducted by Food Foundation UK found that food poverty has grown by 57 per cent since January.

Theresa John continued: “People are having to make decisions of how they’re going to heat their houses, what they’re going to eat and I think the benefit of the grocery is, it’s having that fresh fruit and veg and the different things so that people can actually eat well and still go home and be able to have the heating on for over an hour or so.”

With 7.3 million adults unable to reliably access enough affordable food, Theresa added: “This is a real safe space here there’s no judgement, no stigma, no shame.

“We have many people coming in from our church, coming from all over Salford different places. One of the things they say is they don’t feel judged.”