A COMMUNITY shop which will offer healthy food to hundreds of low-income families is finally set to open.

Ged Pickersgill, The Well’s project development manager, said the opening of the Dalton Road store had been delayed by recruitment issues.

But that has now been resolved and the Well Community shop is gearing up for a November 2 opening date.

Mr Pickersgill said it has just hired a shop manager and are about to begin stocking the shop.

He said: “We were put back slightly by recruitment but we have just employed a shop manager and are getting everything in place to open.

“We will be stocking up the shop over the next few weeks and will be opening on Saturday November 2.

“The shop will take quite a lot of stocking. The food comes from all across the North West.

“There will be lots of really inexpensive for people who need it.

“People will also be able to take advantage of the in-house wellbeing centre.

“We will also be linking in with lots of other agencies.

“We’re really excited for the shop to open.

“It’s all systems go towards making sure everything is in place.”

The new community shop was first announced in 2018 as a means to offer hundreds of low income families access to healthy food at a discounted price.

Food including fresh fruit and vegetables will be provided by supermarkets and wholesalers from surplus stock.

All the money made would be pumped back into the store and projects by The Well.

Former Mayor Bill McEwan welcomed the news of the shop opening.

He said: “It’s absolutely fantastic news that the shop will be opening soon.

“It’s sad that we have to have these kind of things.

“But these days even working people still need this kind of help.

“But in times like these the more of these kind of services we have the better,

“Well done to The Well for working to set this kind of thing up."