We’re delighted to have opened our second Next Step Shop in the Grangetown Community Hub. The doors opened on Monday 19 April, with an official ribbon-cutting by the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Carole Morgan.
The Next Step Shop is one of our projects dedicated to reducing poverty and isolation in Redcar and the surrounding area.
Previously Next Step Shop members had to travel to Redcar to benefit from the subsidised, low-cost food offered by the project. But now thanks to funding through a Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council Community Grant, this second Next Step Shop will bring this vital service closer to the communities who need it the most.
Next Step Shops are for anyone facing food poverty. They are usually the ‘next step’ for clients of Redcar Area Foodbank, though anyone who is struggling to afford to feed themselves and their families can be referred to become a member by a network of local agencies.
The new shop in the Grangetown Community Hub will be open on Monday and Thursday mornings and Michael, Jenny and the volunteer team are looking forward to welcoming new members to their bright and well-stocked shop. The original Next Step Shop will remain open at 10 Queen Street in Redcar on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, allowing members to choose the most convenient place for them to shop.
Shop members pay a small contribution of £2.50 towards their shopping and can visit their chosen shop on a weekly basis. For £2.50 they receive 10 items of food, with a retail value of £10-£15. Usually the food will be tins and packets, however sometimes fresh food is also available, such as fruit, vegetables and bread products.
The Next Step Shops can also refer members to other Footprints’ projects who may be able to offer additional support, such as First Steps which provides pre-loved baby and children’s clothing and equipment to families who are struggling.
Next Step Shop Project Manager Michael Kelly said “We are delighted that our second Next Step Shop is now open! We know that for many people who are struggling to pay for necessities, Next Step Shop is a vital service; so it’s really important to be able to extend this support into the Grangetown Community Hub. It’s just one of the ways Footprints in the Community can help people struggling with food poverty in the Redcar area into 2021 and beyond.”
