Community Shop, which operates a network of award-winning social supermarkets across the UK, is embarking on its biggest ever Christmas thanks to the generous support of industry partners.

With so many families facing the choice between a warm meal and a warm home, Community Shop is working with Ocado, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Warburtons, Quorn and Kinnerton to not only prevent waste, but also use surplus stock to ensure this festive period is as special as possible for those who may otherwise struggle, or go entirely without.

Christmas Dinners

Across all of Community Shop’s Kitchens, more than 1,500 members will come together to share Christmas Dinner, thanks to Ocado who has donated all of the ingredients. Quorn has also partnered with Community Shop to donate the vegetarian roasts for the Christmas Dinners and provide funding so that members can receive a significant discount on fruit and vegetables over the festive period.

Elf Breakfasts

During the school holidays, when children are without Free School Meal provision, Community Shop has joined forces with Warburtons, to welcome more than 600 children to special “Elf Breakfasts”.  Using donated crumpets, loaves of bread and pancakes, fun learning sessions will see the kids make pancake stacks, fruity crumpets and eggy bread.

Christmas Presents

To try and ensure children do not go without a gift this Christmas, Company Shop’s members across the country have also supported Community Shop by donating toys through in-store ‘Donation Stations’, which were also boosted by Zuru Toys and Company Shop Group’s parent company Biffa. 800 gifts were donated which will be distributed to children at Community Shop’s Santa’s Grottos. Kinnerton helped spread the Christmas cheer at the start of December, donating almost 7,000 chocolate advent calendars for members’ children.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners have also donated 120,000 bottles of drinks, which Company Shop Group will unlock the value from to support Community Shop members across the country.

Gary Stott, Executive Chairman of Community Shop, said:

“Every year, the financial and wider pressures of Christmas can be extremely burdensome for many of the families we support. This year, these challenges are only heightened, and we’ve seen first-hand the increased numbers of people that are greatly in need of that extra support to help them through.

“Following an industry pledge to support Community Shop this Christmas, we were delighted that so many industry partners have come forward and supported us with generous donations to keep our shelves stocked with essential food and products, and enable us to deliver a special Christmas for our members and their children alike.

“It has been an absolute pleasure seeing the immense difference that all of the activities arranged, and donations given, have made to thousands of families and the wider community. We would like to extend a huge thank you to all those partners who have supported Community Shop and we look forward to continuing to work with the industry as we head into 2023, as we know that the demand and need for support – and therefore donations of surplus stock – will only continue.”

Community Shop is open to people living in low-income communities, providing high-quality food and essential products to members at more than 50% off the normal retail price. Alongside its stores, every Community Shop operates a Hub and Kitchen. These spaces are operated all year round, offering life-changing personal development support, and wholesome hot meals for families, with children eating for free.