The Higher Shotton Food Co-op is going from strength to strength, following its recent move to the Community Campus at John Summers High School.
The co-op is open every Thursday 10am -12 noon at the community café. Large bags of fruit, vegetables and salad are for sale for only £3. Fresh free range local eggs are also available to buy.
Volunteers, husband and wife Sam and Mark Jones, run the co-op and are encouraging as many local people as possible to come and place an order, for collection the following week.
Mark said:
“Having a food co-op is a great idea and we’re keen to promote community involvement. It’s £1.50 for half a bag and £3 for a full bag, and it’s value for money, especially on a small budget.
“We’ve been running this co-op for two years now and it’s gone from strength to strength.
“Here at our new venue on the Community Campus, our takings have gone from around £20 a week to an average of around £50 a week. We’re keen for that to continue, so we’d encourage as many local people as possible to come and get involved.”
Sam added:
“This is all reasonably priced produce. We’re supporting local farmers and suppliers with this scheme; we use Lesters Farm in Buckley, so we’ve kept it as local as possible.
“It’s about bringing our local community together and encouraging people to make the most of what we have to offer.”
Debbie Neale is from the Rural Regeneration Unit (RRU), which runs the food co-op programme across Wales with funding from the Welsh Assembly Government. Debbie said:
“The RRU is really pleased that Higher Shotton Communities First is continuing to support the food co-op from its new venue.
“We recognise that the success of the co-op depends on working in partnership and the input of local volunteers, whose time is invaluable.”
The Higher Shotton Food Co-op is always looking for volunteers to help out every Thursday between 10am and 12 noon.
For more information please contact Higher Shotton Communities First on 01244 846090.
Photograph: (front, L-R) Mark Jones, Megan Atkinson, Azi Rashud (Head teacher, John Summers High School), Sam Jones, Susan Thompson from Lester’s farm, and Debbie Neale
