The Network affordable food shop in Derry offering members a chance to complete weekly shop at 50% discount

The Network currently has approximately 40 members but expects this to grow significantly.

Situated in Unit 2 of the Riverfront complex at the corner of Strand Road and Baronet Street it has been operating on a pilot basis since November.

Karen Mullan, Strategic Development Manager at the Foyle Network Foundation (FNF), which is behind the social enterprise, explains: “It's separate to the Foyle Foodbank and it’s seen as a step down from that service.

"It's for people who might be struggling financially. That may be people who are working, older people who don't use the foodbank, single people who live on their own who are struggling and others. Those are the target demographics that we would be looking at but it is open to all demographics.”

People who wish to shop at The Network must sign up as members through the FNF. Ms. Mullan says the not-for-profit operating template is based on community shops in Britain.

"It is a normal shop. We have viewed a number of models. There is one in Liverpool we have based this on. People can do their shopping at up to 50 per cent less than what it is in the supermarkets.”

Ms. Mullan believes The Network will benefit people who are struggling financially but might be reluctant to go to a foodbank as they don’t want to deplete its resources.

"You have people off on maternity leave and people off on sickness leave and their incomes have greatly reduced. They still have all their outgoings and their bills.

"They don't necessarily want to come to a foodbank but we've done a lot of research on this model and already we have seen people benefiting from it and are getting really good feedback,” she says, adding it could also provide a lifeline for students in financial hardship.

FNF successfully applied for funding to establish The Network but the aim is for the not-for-profit to be self-sustaining with revenues being reinvested to purchase stock.

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"It's a more sustainable model. We have some businesses that do support us. We have formed a partnership with the council through Acorn Farm so some of the surplus of the fruit and vegetables harvested over the coming seasons will go to The Network. Good quality fresh fruit and vegetables. They did a first harvest and we got it and it was excellent.”

Ms. Mullan hopes the project will help build resilience amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

"People work alongside us as we build up their resilience and help them with money management and skills. You are not really providing much benefit if over the long term you are giving people stuff for free because there is a cliff edge at the end of it,” says the FNF manager.

Ultimately, the patrons are paying customers in what looks and operates like a normal shop. But the price points can make a real difference.

"We want it to look like a shop and feel like a shopping experience. It looks like a mini-supermarket,” Ms. Mullan concludes.

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