Somewhere like here gives me faith in humanity” – John, member of Gorton Community Grocer
Last month, FareShare Greater Manchester was invited to the relaunch of Gorton Central, the home of the Gorton Community Grocer. The building on Highmead Street in Abbey Hey offers a wide range of services that support the local community. These services include Citizens Advice for help with finances and benefits, as well as health advice, courses, and support groups. Additionally, the site features a community garden where members can grow their own food and flowers. The garden also provides a peaceful haven for people to relax outdoors.
The Community Grocer, supported by food from FareShare Greater Manchester, provides discounted food to local resident members. When members sign up, they pay £3 per week for £15 worth of food. They also gain access to referrals, signposting, and personalised support.
John’s story
One of their members, John, joined the Community Grocer after calling in to collect a ‘food crisis bag’. He was at risk of homelessness and regularly went without food. With one-to-one support from the Community Grocer, John accessed energy assistance and joined the ‘Be Smoke Free’ programme. As a result, he successfully stopped smoking. He also joined ‘The River’ a domestic abuse charity and attended an ‘Understanding Your Trauma’ mental health support course at Gorton Central.
John described his experience of becoming a Community Grocer member: “With the Grocers, I didn’t realise how important it was and how much confidence it would give me. Now I have my benefits reinstated, I’ve paid off my rent arrears, I’ve got a phone sorted, got my gas and electricity sorted. After I got help, everything started falling into place. I reached out to the Grocers and now I’ve stopped smoking through support. It’s kept me on track…This is good for me as I can easily disenfranchise myself. This has helped me keep in touch with the real world and it has given me hope. Somewhere like here gives me faith in humanity”.
Great savings for the community
Over the course of a year, members at the Community Grocer collectively save £30,430 which in real terms is the equivalent to 16,080 meals. In the past two years, 182 members have accessed food in this way.
Another of the Community Grocer members is Lisa, she experiences PTSD and has multiple barriers to engagement. Through supportive one-to-one sessions, she was referred to several organisations to help with the difficulties she was struggling with. As a result of attending activities at the centre, Lisa gained the confidence to join a public speaking group and a local cinema group at other community venues.
Lisa says joining the membership was a real help: “The Community Grocers has eased the stress of everything – both from financial support and the related activities and referrals. It’s been such a help and a support and I really appreciate it as it was just the Grocer, then it turned into health and wellbeing and then it was a writing for wellbeing course – it broadened to everything so it has been very beneficial.”
Community Growing Garden
In addition to the Community Grocers and other activities, courses and support which take place within Gorton Central, behind it lies the Community Growing Garden which has won a string of awards over the years it has been running. For the one-off cost of £20, garden members are given two raised planting beds to grow food and flowers for their own household. They also have access to a large polytunnel where they can help themselves to the tomatoes and other produce which grows there for the benefit of everyone.
The relaunch of Gorton Central, follows a £1 million investment to refurbish the building after the organization, Healthy Me Healthy Community took on a 25 year lease of the building from Manchester City Council. On the day, there were stalls about the history of Gorton and the community centre building itself. There was also a cookery demonstration using surplus food from the Community Grocer.
You can find out more about Gorton Central Healthy Me Healthy Community on their website.
