Investment manager chooses Birkenhead for first community initiative

LaSalle Investment Management has announced that its Birkenhead scheme, Pyramids Shopping Centre, is working in partnership with Feeding Britain to open the charity’s first community café and ‘citizens’ supermarket’.

The LaSalle-owned Pyramids Shopping Centre has joined forces with Feeding Birkenhead – founded by local MP, Frank Field, and part of the charity’s national network which aims to eliminate hunger in the UK – on a community-focused project, with Birkenhead shipbuilding firm, Cammell Laird, undertaking the refurbishment of the 903 sq m unit.

Work commenced last month to fit out the retail space, which has been provided to Feeding Birkenhead on a rent-free basis.

Due to open in September, Number 7 – as the café and supermarket is to be called – will be a membership-based, non-profit food shop and café focusing on the provision of good quality surplus food for people in Birkenhead who are struggling to pay the bills.

Users of the service will also be offered a range of supportive services such as welfare rights and debt advice, help looking for work, as well as budgeting support and cooking sessions.

Membership for the citizens’ supermarket will be by referral from one of Feeding Birkenhead’s partners, such as housing and healthcare organisations.

Giles Mount, an asset manager of LaSalle Investment Management, said the collaboration with Feeding Birkenhead and its wider network heralds a significant step in helping tackle the effects of rising living costs for people in the town and surrounding areas.

“There are many members of the community who are in a position where basic human needs such as nourishing food are gradually becoming completely out of reach,” he said.

“Feeding Britain is an incredible operation that aims to make this a thing of the past and we are committed to supporting its efforts in any way possible.

“We are extremely proud that a La Salle scheme is to be the first outlet for Feeding Britain. This life-changing service is sure to ease some of the pressure for those in need in Birkenhead.”

Local food suppliers, including Kellogg’s and Brakes, will donate food supplies to help stock the café and supermarket when it opens in Autumn.

Membership for shoppers will be for six months initially, with the option to extend if further support is needed. Access to the café and community support services will be available to all.

Feeding Britain is the national charity established by the town’s MP, Frank Field, who said: “Feeding Birkenhead has pioneered a whole series of reforms in favour of hard-up families.

“Thousands of children have benefited from our programme of meals and activities during the holidays, for example, as well as school breakfasts during term time.

“Likewise, the addition of fuel and benefits advice at the food bank has pulled thousands of people back from the brink of destitution,” he said.

“The citizens’ supermarket takes Feeding Birkenhead well and truly into the next phase of our work to ensure more families are able to eat good meals and to address those problems, such as debt, that make it difficult to pay the bills each month.”

Rosie Oglesby, national director at Feeding Britain, explained that the project aims to support people by providing breathing space during which they can access nutritious food at subsidised prices in a warm and welcoming environment.

She said: “Citizens’ supermarkets are run by the community and are there to support people at a point when they need a bit of extra help to get through a difficult time.”

Feeding Birkenhead will be recruiting paid staff members, as well as a number of volunteers for the running of the shop, café and offering community support.

Any businesses wishing to contribute to funding, food or other skills or supplies, can also get in touch via the Feeding Britain website or via Twitter at @Feeding_Britain