24/012023: New community supermarket opens in Dereham

Dereham Wellspring Family Centre officially opened 'The Food Cabin', a new community supermarket which will provide affordable discounted food items and toiletries to people in and around the town who are on low incomes.

The Food Cabin is part-funded by Breckland Council and is based at 35 Neatherd Road, Dereham, and can provide a range of fresh food and store cupboard staples, thanks to donations from local companies. These include Morrisons, CC Wells, Tesco, Hoggies, Watton Bakery, Boots and Tall Orders, who have been providing food and toiletry items, while local businesses such as RSL fencing, Hughes, Dereham Tile and Carpet Centre and Poundland have also supported the project by giving time or equipment in building the Cabin.

The new community supermarket is the latest to join the Norfolk Community Foundation's Nourishing Norfolk Network, which already includes 14 other community supermarkets across the county.

Toby Rouse and Jayne Olley from the Food Cabin team said:: "We are delighted to have opened this fantastic facility which will help reduce food costs for a number of Dereham residents. The Food Cabin maybe be small, but its size allows us to offer a more personnel, flexible and bespoke service."

Cllr Alison Webb, Executive Member of Executive Member for Health & Communities at Breckland Council, commented: "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. These include the first community supermarket in East Anglia, which opened at the Charles Burrell Centre in Thetford, 'The Pantry' in Kenninghall, and our own Breckland Mobile Food Store which drives to rural areas of the district to offer a similar service."

Claire Cullen, Chief Executive from the Norfolk Community Foundation (NCF), added: "The NCF is incredibly proud of the launch of The Food Cabin, which we know will be a significant support to the local community. It will join our 14 other community food hubs, helping thousands of people across Norfolk access good quality, affordable food while helping them discover pathways out of food poverty."

Cllr Hugh King, Mayor of Dereham, who cut the red ribbon at the project launch commented: "I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you on behalf of the Dereham Town Council about how proud we are to know that this project is now moving forward to provide those in our Community with help at the present times of hardship."

The Cabin will be open and available to residents in Dereham every Wednesday between 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 6-8pm on Fridays, at 35 Neatherd Road, Dereham.