Hospitality and Hope aim to welcome residents to new community shop to help tackle food poverty

Hospitality and Hope which was founded in 2002 works locally supporting homeless and vulnerable people through its food bank and wellbeing support.

Last year the charity opened its first community shop in Horsley Hill, due to success and demand another shop has recently opened in Hudson Street, Tyne Dock.

The idea behind the shop is to provide people with items to top up their weekly food shop and items that can help make them a meal to see them through the week. For £4 shoppers can get a basket of items which would cost around £20. 

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Mark Patterson, manager of the Hudson Street community shop said: “There’s certainly a need for it in the area with the cost of living crisis so many people are struggling and we’re here to offer more than just food but a place for people to come have a chat and offload worries too.

"There should be more services like this out there to help people because the need is there."

The charity rely heavily on funding and donations in order for them to carry out services and if the shop proves to be a success in the area Hospitality and Hope will be able to access more funding for the service. 

Anyone wishing to use the community shop must live within a mile and half of the shop and can sign up by visiting the store bringing proof of ID and will be granted a membership card. Shoppers can use the shop once a week.

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The shop is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday's 10am-3pm and is available for anyone regardless of their financial background.

Mark is also encouraging anyone who would to like to volunteer to do so to enable them to run the service and support users.

To register or become a volunteer pop down to the shop at Tyne Dock for more information or chat with Mark and the volunteers.