Hello, and welcome to Threehills first ever blog! 

What is a Community Supermarket?

I could talk for HOURS about what a Community Supermarket actually IS. It’s such a new concept and I’m sure you have questions. So I’ll try to explain a wee bit.

Social supermarkets and food pantries are still a fairly new thing, and they are springing up all over the UK.

#TeamThreehills (this is what I call us. Yes we have our own hashtag. #) have learned from all of them and have come up with a great new model. We aim to provide choice in shopping for food by supplying affordable food in a normal supermarket environment, and to help ease people out of poverty with dignity and respect, preventing the need to access the services of a food bank. Alongside this, we will provide advice and advocacy on benefits, looking for work, debt, budgeting and cooking.  All of this, and a Community Café too.

Our project will be managed by the food charity Feeding Britain initially, and we are building up a fantastic local Steering Group who will form a Scottish charity which will take on full ownership and responsibility of Threehills within three years. Feeding Britain supports loads of projects all over the country whilst allowing each project to forge it’s own identity. Our project is called Threehills because it serves the community of Priesthill, Nitshill and Househill as well as the Greater Pollok area. Threehills Supermarket will include a shopping area, a community café and an advice hub. So as you can see, we are so much more than just a place you come to buy your shopping!

Why is a Community Supermarket needed? 

Speaking as a born and bred Greater Pollok resident, and someone who has been involved and active in my community for over 25 years I think that this new Supermarket will be an incredible thing.  I could get all professional and technical and use fancy words here but when I’m speaking to someone, anyone, from a member of the community, to the ‘officials’ that I need to speak with on a daily basis, I say the EXACT SAME THING about this project.

I call Threehills a ‘hug around the community’.  Now, at the risk of sounding emotional or cheesy (and I HATE sounding cheesy) that’s the expression I’m gonna stick with.

Threehills is going to be such a wonderful thing for our community, and offer so much in so many ways that I quite simply don’t have the space in a wee blog to fit it all in, but let me begin by telling you this.

When you’re struggling to put food on the table, or you need a bit of advice with your benefits, #TeamThreehills will be able to help you.

If you’re needing help looking for work, or you’d like to learn how to manage debt, or you’d like to learn how to cook good healthy and nutritious meals for you and your family, #TeamThreehills will be able to help you.

See when you fancy a wee posh coffee without paying sky high prices, (did I mention if you sign up to be a member you pay HALF PRICE in our cafe?) then #TeamThreehills café will be able to make you that wee posh coffee and you’ll have a lovely wee space to sit in to enjoy it too.

Threehills Supermarket Is about the community. It’s quite simply speaking, about helping each other. It’s about bringing back that sense of community and giving each other a hand.

It’s about all of us.

The last bit.

We are very busy with architects, builders, planners and clever wonderful people to help make our new premises all shiny and new, and we hope to be open for Spring, but in the meantime if you’d like more info on how we are getting on you can follow us on social media! Yay!

OR if you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to contact us.

Til next time!

Pauline

#TeamThreehills