The challenge is across many aspects of our society & thus a multi level approach is required. I propose that a national ‘Community Shopping Hub’ is formed as a not for profit entity & will now provide my thoughts on how this will tackle the issues raised in my challenge statement.
The cornerstone of my proposal is to provide a safety net for those in need, whilst also providing opportunities & infrastructure for the young to grow & develop. The fantastic work of food banks keeps those in need from malnutrition, but through the formation of a Community shopping hub, this could be extended to employment opportunities, training & upskilling, as well as building the health of the community, both physically & mentally. I propose the utilisation of vacated sites & brownfield empty units that have been an outcome of the pandemic. The sites would be setup as a supermarket environment, where possible utilising existing infrastructure to negate cost. The hubs would form part of a national collective & would be able to procure produce & supplies sustainably & where able, reduce food miles by utilising local producers. The stores would be funded through monies redirected from benefits & also from training & health budgets. The store would have a framework of ’employed staff’ built up of experienced retail members (many currently unemployed) & trainees in different disciplines. The training would cover aspects from the transportation & logistics of goods, to procurement & the customer interface through service ‘face to face’. Skills such as fresh food preparation, butchery skills, customer services etc would be offered, with partnerships formed with local education providers. The trainees would follow accredited training standards (such as NVQ) to develop tangible & valued outcomes that will progress their career. This is imperative, as many young persons have no CV experience as they need someone to take the leap of faith in the first instance & employee them. The store would stock healthy options & also provide help & advice on nutrition & how to provide for a family in an efficient way. These basic life skills are being lost as many opt for convenience foods, which are by comparison more costly & lacking nutritional benefit. Links with health providers will allow instore community engagement on issues such as exercise & wellbeing. Links with local food producers will allow opportunities to show case & educate where our food is produced & will also support the local food economy. The store would allow the use of a national voucher scheme, with incentives to utilise the store by providing promotions & thus giving those in receipt of benefits an option to get more quality produce than possible by traditional purchases. Areas with high levels of poverty would have hub liaison workers to ensure that those in real need can access the scheme without the red tape & confusion that initiatives can bring. The scheme would have a national committee that is run by a mixture of the users, staff, trainees & also close collaboration with the NHS & education providers. The key is to have a true co-operative of the community & with everyone in the physical employ being a stakeholder – through this people will feel truly valued & empowered.
The ownership will be with the communities & thus the ‘healing’ of our communities amidst many years of challenge & division will flow from the hub. The hubs will complement & not compete with existing stores & is proven that where choice is available, areas flourish, thus building the local diversity. I would build a framework for national recognition & through multi media showcase the stores & those that work within them. I would have a formal structure for recognising those that go the extra mile, with an annual award scheme to recognise those that have made the biggest contribution or achieved despite challenges. This would showcase the team nationally & give an opportunity for staff to progress into other retail opportunities & thus raise their potential career path. I would engage with top tier retailers to allow a pipeline for progression & thus supporting the wider talent pool & creating skilled workers. Work placements around the country would give opportunities for trainees to move around & experience different cultures & communities thus promoting (for example) racial awareness. I make this point as a resident of a predominantly un-diverse community, where BAME culture is not evident widely & thus exposure for our young citizens that can’t afford the university experience is not allowing this valuable exposure. The scheme will be more aligned to a normal shopping experience & thus many who feel the stigma & embarrassment of food charity would be in an environment that they can feel an equal member of society – this will also expose them to the wider benefits that the hub can bring & forge strong community connections.
My dream would be communities ‘heal’ as we leave the pain & despair of COVID 19 & look to a future of possibility & belief.
I thank you for reading my submission & would be delighted to expand on my thoughts with the panel.
109-11