Wellspring Church opens community supermarket 

The Food Cabin, a community supermarket run by Dereham Wellspring Family Centre, welcomed its first customers on January 20.

The supermarket aims to provide food and toiletries at a discount to help people cope with the rising cost of living.

Toby Rouse and Jayne Olley, two of the people behind the project, said in a joint statement: "We are delighted to have opened this fantastic facility which will help reduce food costs for a number of Dereham residents.

"The Food Cabin may be small, but its size allows us to offer a more personal, flexible and bespoke service."

Hugh King, mayor of Dereham, cut a ribbon at the opening of the supermarket at 35 Neatherd Road and thanked its team.

Food donations and toiletry items have been made by local businesses and national chains with a presence in the area including Morrisons, CC Wells, Tesco, Watton Bakery, and Boots.
 
Other local businesses such as Dereham Tile & Carpet, RSL fencing, Hughes, Centre and Poundland have also supported the project, donating labour and equipment to put the new shop together.
 
The supermarket is being run on a membership basis. Members - who must be based in Dereham - are able to sign up and shop with a discount of around 30%. 

The Cabin has become the latest to join the Norfolk Community Foundation's Nourishing Norfolk Network, which already includes 14 other community supermarkets.

The supermarket is partly funded by Breckland Council.

Councillor Alison Webb, executive member for health and communities at Breckland, said: “As part of our Inspiring Communities programme we have helped fund this project to ensure low-income residents can access healthy, discounted food.

“We have supported several community supermarkets over the last 12 months, and they’ve proven to be invaluable to local residents."

The Cabin will be open on Wednesdays from 10am to midday, and on Fridays from 6pm to 8pm.

Find out more at www.wfcdereham.org/food-cabin/

Pictured above is The Food Cabin (Image: Breckland Council). Story quotes from Dereham Times.