A new mobile community supermarket has launched in Canvey Island today, called ‘Stuff on the Bus’.
The supermarket will be run by the Salvation Army in partnership with Essex County Council and Feeding Britain. Customers can buy discounted food and household items from a refurbished double decker bus.
The supermarket is on the bottom deck of the bus. The top deck has facilities including a mobile banking unit, Employment Plus, a service run by the Salvation Army to help people become job ready, and a wellbeing coach.
The new Stuff on the Bus service will initially run for two days a week:
- On Tuesdays it will make two stops, visiting Link Road from 10am to 12pm and The Paddocks from 2pm to 4pm
- On Fridays it will stop outside St Nicholas Church from 10am to 11am, the Small Gains Hall from 11.30am to 12.30pm and Canvey Island FC from 2pm to 3pm.
Customers can join by paying a £5 annual sign on fee.
A personal shopper service is offered for disabled customers.
Holly Alberici, Pioneer Leader of The Salvation Army on Canvey Island, said:
We are hoping to fill in the gap between food bank and supermarket. People can jump on board and get what they need. Rising food prices are impacting more and more people and I’m looking forward to the community using the bus in a welcoming and non-judgemental environment.
Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Business Engagement, said:
I am delighted to be part of the launch of our fifth community supermarket in Essex - the first in the County that is going fully mobile!
We know that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to the support needed in our local communities and so we have worked hard with the Salvation Army, Castle Point Borough Council and our wider partners to ensure that the successful model of our community supermarket programme is adapted to ensure that it operates with the exact needs of the local community in mind.
By travelling around the island, the bus can reach residents that may not otherwise be able to make trips to a fixed shop across town. It offers exactly the same shopping experience as our other supermarkets, with people able to stock up on a variety of fresh food and household items at much reduced prices.
This is the next step in our commitment to bringing a community supermarket to every City, District and Borough in Essex, which plays a vital role in our work to level up the County. I am very much looking forward to seeing the bus in action and seeing its customer numbers grow.
Read more about Levelling Up in Essex.