Social Supermarket General Information
Wake up Wallasey provides social supermarkets at St. Paul’s Church in Seacombe and St. Luke’s Church in Poulton.
What is a social supermarket?
A social supermarket mainly stocks food (and other items) that were originally intended for sale in the mainstream market but can’t be sold for one reason or another. For example, too many of a particular item was ordered, the products are damaged (squashed boxes), discontinued products, mislabelled/unlabelled products or they have short best before dates etc. These products are made available to the local community which benefits the local community and prevents food waste. Some food is donated by supermarkets, the hospitality sector and other organisations for charitable purposes or because they have excess.
Where does the food come from?
The social supermarkets get food from larger charities who are given the food by companies, supermarkets and individuals. We pay a contribution to the costs involved in obtaining, storing and distributing the food. . (We have little if any choice about the products we receive so we can’t guarantee what will be available from one week to the next). Some of the food is generously donated or bought from normal supermarkets or wholesalers with grants obtained or from financial donations received.
Who can access the food?
To access the food and other items stocked in the social supermarket, people need to become members by filling in a simple form asking for name, postcode and the number of adults and children in the household. People do not need to be on benefits or provide any evidence of income. The social supermarkets aim to help people in Wallasey, particularly Seacombe and Poulton, but you don’t have to live in the local area to use the social supermarket.
What do I need to know?
When you come to the social supermarket you will need to pay a membership fee (the lowest membership costs £1 and gives you 4 points). Your membership fee gives you to a certain number of points to spend on food or other items in the social supermarket. Goods are marked in points so e.g. a packet of biscuits may be 1 point, tins 1 point, cereal 4 points etc. You spend your points but if you have points left then you can carry them over until your next visit. Membership fees are used to support other projects or to buy food etc. for the social supermarket. Some food is given away free of charge.
Members should be aware that products may have a short best before date, be passed their best before date or be damaged e.g broken biscuits. Members should use their own judgement in deciding whether to eat food that is past its best before date. Companies will give us verification in writing that food can be eaten past its best before date and we only sell it under this condition.
What else does the social supermarket do?
The social supermarkets also offer informal support and can point people in the direction where they can access help, training, support or meet other needs. The social supermarkets also have strong connections with the church. We have a dedicated volunteer on Thursdays 2-3pm at St. Paul's church to advise on where you can get help and support.
Due to COVID-19, our other activities are currently suspended but in normal times we have craft activities for kids on Fridays at St. Paul’s church, we are involved in the singing café at St. Luke’s church (Tuesdays 10:30-12.00) and there is Tea and Toast available at St. Paul’s church on Thursdays (10:00-12.00).